Current News from the Kansas Authors Club - Kansas Authors Club

Cynthia Mines Upcoming Book Events in Wichita, Russell, & McPherson

7/14/2026

KAC member Cynthia Mines launched her historical novel HEAVEN IN A WILDFLOWER (Meadowlark Press, 2026) on June 20 during Midsummer's Festival in Lindsborg, the prototype for the Swedish community in the book.

Upcoming author events include a book signing at Watermark Books & Cafe, Wichita, from 2-3 p.m. on July 19; Coffee & Kolaches with the author (in honor of the book's Czech character) at Russell Specialty Books & Gifts from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 25; and a book signing and art exhibit opening featuring pieces connected to the prototype for the feed and art dealer character in the book, from 2-5 p.m. on Aug. 1 at McPherson Museum & Arts Foundation.

More info at cynthiamines.com.

Announcing the J. Donald & Bertha Coffin Memorial Book Award for Fiction 2026 Finalists

7/13/2026

The Kansas Authors Club, supporting writers since 1904, announces the finalists for the 2026 Kansas Authors Club Book Awards. Each year the organization recognizes published books in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, Kansas history, poetry, children’s books, and book design. Finalists within each category are selected by a panel of readers made up of members, community members, and book professionals. The finalists from each category are then delivered to judges for the award decisions and announced at the 2026 fall gathering, this year taking place as the 2026 Kansas Writing Convention held at Rock Springs Ranch near Junction City, October 2-4, 2026.

J. Donald & Bertha Coffin
Memorial Book Award for Fiction – Five Finalists

Resistance! by Gretchen Cassel Eick
The National Front Party has just been elected in France and millions of immigrants flee to Europe to escape climate extremes and rising sea levels. As Russia tries to militarily rebuild its former empire, accurate and uncorrupted Artificial Intelligence is the best hope of preventing world war. In the midst of this perfect storm are two young Americans, one a young Black woman studying Artificial Intelligence at the Sorbonne and the other heir to the world’s largest privately owned oil and gas company. The revolutionary changes occurring in France suck them both in. But are they on the same side? A prescient, terrifying, and hopeful story of political intrigue, love, and possibility as the resisters forge their path learning from the past and determined to bring about a better future. (Blue Cedar Press, 2025)

Kate’s Crucible: A Bleeding Kansas Novel, by Elmer Fuller
In 1855, pro-slavery and free-state people flock to the Kansas Territory bent on winning the slavery issue for the new state—the conflict dubbed "Bleeding Kansas." Nineteen-year-old Kate Collins leaves family, safety, and a suitor in Boston, convinced God has called her to fight slavery by teaching in the wild territory. Constant problems challenge her, and the schoolroom she crossed the country to lead always seems out of reach. If God truly called her to teach in Kansas, why does he keep closing every door she tries to walk through? Will Kate sacrifice love for her calling, or discover that God can redeem both? (Allegiance Press, 2025)

Lunacy and Acts of God, a novel by Ruth Maus
In this page-turning, laugh-out-loud novel, Lunacy and Acts of God is a coming-of-age story set against 1950s real life events in Topeka, Kansas. With plenty of quirky, humorous characters and a compelling murder mystery, the book reflects the impact of family and community on prejudice passed through generations, marginalized peoples, our differences, similarities, and choices. (Flint Hills Publishing, 2025)

The Hoping Well, by Michael Stewart
Joshua Macallan knew the space shuttle would explode. That is why he was in Florida in January of 1986. He was trying to save the crew and finally make a difference after so many failures. Like when he tried to save Kennedy in ’63. Joshua was naive and full of hope That was then. Now he is an old man with a past composed of more tragedy than triumph. The FBI watches Joshua’s every move. Even though he currently lives in a Kansas nursing home staring at a blank wall most of the day. When he is not rambling about Victoria, that is, the young woman who had visited him on the farm in 1958 claiming to be from the future. She had done a lot of talking. He had fallen in love. Then Victoria disappeared. Until now. Riots are brewing in New York City over a controversial new technology. He sees Victoria on the news. Still alive and still as young as his memories of her. He needs answers. Joshua will head for the chaos in New York with his 5-year-old granddaughter in tow. Sure, the FBI will be in pursuit. So will his son. But finally, after all these years, Joshua Macallan has hope again. (Independent, 2025)

Saltwood, by Leon Unruh
A former Russian assassin using the alias Nick Deveraux has become a mysterious American hero but is kept under wraps following his spectacular capture. The FBI releases him after two years, right into the hands of the Russian mob. He is coerced to complete his former assignment — kill the Senate’s last moderate conservative, Harriet Gayfeather of Kansas. He finds himself caught between the twin grindstones of oil money and religious power and becomes oddly aligned with both the senator’s deputy and a woman who has made herself regionally famous by promising to kill an unidentified person in Kansas. (Meadowlark Press, 2025)

Announcing the J. Donald & Bertha Coffin Memorial Book Award for Nonfiction 2026 Finalists

7/13/2026

The Kansas Authors Club, supporting writers since 1904, announces the finalists for the 2026 Kansas Authors Club Book Awards. Each year the organization recognizes published books in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, Kansas history, poetry, children’s books, and book design. Finalists within each category are selected by a panel of readers made up of members, community members, and book professionals. The finalists from each category are then delivered to judges for the award decisions and announced at the 2026 fall gathering, this year taking place as the 2026 Kansas Writing Convention held at Rock Springs Ranch near Junction City, October 2-4, 2026.

J. Donald & Bertha Coffin
Memorial Book Award for Nonfiction – Three Finalists

Rebel Heart: Against the Wind, by Marietta Anderson
What happens when a sharp-tongued girl from small-town Kansas dares to take on the forces of war, censorship, and injustice—and won’t back down? Set amid the cultural and political upheaval of the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, Rebel Heart: Against the Wind is the riveting true story of Marietta Anderson, who grows up fighting bullies and defending the marginalized—and never stops. From a harrowing childhood confrontation with a kidnapper to standing on the front lines in Selma, her life is marked by courage and confrontation. As a young wife and activist, she joins the antiwar and civil rights movements, challenging authority at every turn. When a university suspends her for distributing antiwar leaflets, she mounts a First Amendment legal battle that reaches the U.S. Supreme Court. She and her husband face threats, blacklisting, and the burning of a cross on their lawn. Rebel Heart is a fearless account of love, betrayal, resilience—and the high cost of telling the truth. (Post Rock Press, 2025)

The Magic Eye: A Story of Saving a Life and a Place in the Age of Anxiety, by Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg
The Magic Eye: A Story of Saving a Life and a Place in the Age of Anxiety is a memoir on journeying through a rare and deadly eye cancer in the middle of trying to save a fifth-generation Kansas farm. In this tender, humorous, poetic, wry, and courageous story, Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg writes what author Harriet Lerner called "....a luminous, poetic meditation on survival, community, and resilience. With tenderness and humor, her memoir speaks to the fierce beauty of holding on to life, to land, and to hope when the odds seem insurmountable. A deeply human story, this book is a testament to courage and the power of place that will stay with you long after you turn the final page." (Mammoth, 2025)

Provocative Lines: The Art of Breaking and Arranging Lines, by Kristine Polansky
Two-time Poet of the Year for the Kansas Authors Club, Kristine A. Polansky shares more than a cherry-picking of her poems from the last three decades in Provocative Lines: The art of breaking and arranging lines into poetry. Polansky has given us—from fledgling poets to those delving deeper into their poetry writing practice—a course in poetic form, a book that is fine for front to back reading, but best experienced slowly, chapter by chapter, pen in hand, as the explorations into the “art of breaking and arranging poetry into lines” will make the reader want to stop and experiment with their own wordplay. More than just a book about writing poetry, this is a history lesson on language and poetic form. Polansky highlights the ever-evolving nature of language, the impact of poetry on words we speak in our everyday lives, and the influence speech has had on poetry over generations. Warning: Open this book with caution. Poetry may result. (Meadowlark Press, 2025)

Announcing the 2026 Nelson Poetry Award Finalists

7/13/2026

The Kansas Authors Club, supporting writers since 1904, announces the finalists for the 2026 Kansas Authors Club Book Awards. Each year the organization recognizes published books in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, Kansas history, poetry, children’s books, and book design. Finalists within each category are selected by a panel of readers made up of members, community members, and book professionals. The finalists from each category are then delivered to judges for the award decisions and announced at the 2026 fall gathering, this year taking place as the 2026 Kansas Writing Convention held at Rock Springs Ranch near Junction City, October 2-4, 2026.

A Gathering of Kestrels, by T.D. Keane
A Gathering of Kestrels by T. D. Keane is a collection of poems inspired by the varieties of life in the Kansas prairie, specifically the Flint Hills. Mr. Keane knows the prairie well as he has been studying it for over 30 years as a Professor of Landscape Architecture at Kansas State University, Manhattan, which is on the northern edge of the Flint Hills. He has taken numerous students, semester after semester, out on the prairie to observe and study in depth the animal and plant life of the prairie and he has taught the effects of human interaction with the prairie. His poems reflect the beautiful and delicate landscape using unique and skillful poetic power. His poetic techniques fill the reader with wonder, delight, and careful sound, as one would step with respect and care into the complex world of the great plains. This collection of beautiful poems reflects the spectrum of light one will see watching the prairie, hour by hour, minute by minute, without ever seeing the same shade twice, and creating a relationship with beating heart of the grasses, the tiny insects, the coyote. Reading these poems, carefully and slowly, is a transformational experience. Each poem is a meditation that calls us to respect and love the world around us, especially the Flint Hills prairie of Kansas. (Blue Cedar Press, 2025)

Essential Workers, by Michael Poage
In his 18th book, Michael Poage explores the lives and yearnings of “essential workers” in a time of reaction and repression. Powerful poetry from a prolific poet trained by Richard Hugo and Madeleine DeVries. (Spartan Press, 2025)

When I Go West: New and Selected Poems, by William Sheldon
In When I Go West, William Sheldon compiles nearly twenty-five years of poetic reflection into one august volume. These poems present snapshots of a life well-lived-working in one's garden, wandering through the woods, admiring the gift of an "orange-pink sky"-guiding readers to appreciate the simple joys and quiet beauty of life and reminding us how we are part of the same cycles as all of the natural world: birth, growth, and eventual decay. To Sheldon, death is not something to be feared, but rather a natural and necessary part of life. Ashes and compost will feed the next year's crops, and "purpose is assured only in the ground." (Meadowlark Press, 2025)

Announcing the 2026 Martin Kansas History Book Award Finalists

7/13/2026

The Kansas Authors Club, supporting writers since 1904, announces the finalists for the 2026 Kansas Authors Club Book Awards. Each year the organization recognizes published books in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, Kansas history, poetry, children’s books, and book design. Finalists within each category are selected by a panel of readers made up of members, community members, and book professionals. The finalists from each category are then delivered to judges for the award decisions and announced at the 2026 fall gathering, this year taking place as the 2026 Kansas Writing Convention held at Rock Springs Ranch near Junction City, October 2-4, 2026.

Martin Kansas History Book Award – Four Finalists

The Crow Lady: Barbara Waterman-Peters, by Cathy Callen
Barbara Waterman-Peters is an artist living in Topeka, Kansas. She has become well-known for her oil and watercolor paintings and for arts advocacy in her community. Her paintings have been exhibited worldwide and can be found in numerous galleries and museums. In part one of this book, children will learn about Barbara in this book through her fascination with crows. In part two of this book, we learn more about Barbara in her own words. This book contains more than 27 full-color images of Barbara’s work, including watercolor, oil on canvas, and sketches. (Meadowlark Press, 2025)

K-State’s Wrestling Legacy: Stories, Stats, and Personalities that Shaped the Sport in Kansas and Beyond, by Patrick Kelly
For over 50 years, Kansas State University offered a wrestling program that became the state’s flagship at the collegiate level. However, K-State wrestling has now been dormant for half a century. K-State’s Wrestling Legacy gives readers a comprehensive look at the program’s history and connects it to the sport’s growth in the Sunflower State and its national influence. (Flint Hills Publishing, 2025)

Riding Rainbows Through the Storms: Finding Perspective and Hope by Journaling Through a Pandemic, by Anne Spry
A transformative spiritual journey through a universal storm… Do you feel discouraged and overwhelmed by what life throws at you and your loved ones? Are there days you avoid the evening news because you can't handle one more thing? The storms of life seem to be blowing more fiercely these days, and none of us are exempt from the anxiety, fear, and turmoil they bring. In Riding Rainbows, author Anne Spry highlights lessons she has learned from journaling through one of the most challenging storms of her life. Anne handled it by praying, journaling, posting blogs, and doing livestream Facebook posts to understand and interpret the new normal that faces all of us. And now she's consolidated the lessons to help others work through their storms. Full of inspiration, insights, humor, and introspection, this book was written to accompany the Writing to Heal masterclasses she helped develop with her writing partner, Cheri Battrick. But Riding Rainbows Through the Storms stands on its own as a healing tool for anyone who has experienced a major difficulty. (Personal Chapters, 2025)

Old Man of the Fossil Beds: A Kansas Dreamer, His Family of Hunters, and Their Search for Prehistoric Sea Creatures, by Melanie Bonner-Thomas
Discover the untold story of Kansas paleontologist Marion Charles Bonner, as told through the eyes of his daughter in Old Man of the Fossil Beds. From the dusty plains of western Kansas to the bustling halls of North American museums, Bonner’s legacy stretches far beyond his groundbreaking discoveries of prehistoric marine animals. But it was his unconventional ways and larger-than-life personality that truly left a mark on those who knew him. As Bonner's family of eight navigates the challenges of farming, the war years, the movie theater business, and the unpredictable forces of nature, his passion for paleontology only grows stronger. Following the example of his mentor, George F. Sternberg, he unearths incredible fossils from the chalk beds of western Kansas, including plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, fish of all sizes, sharks, and even pteranodons. Full of heart, humor, and raw emotion, Old Man of the Fossil Beds is a gripping tale of one man's insatiable thirst for knowledge, and the enduring love of a family that stood by him through it all. Like unearthing a rare, buried fossil, this book brings to light an obscure area of the country, a hitherto unknown Kansas character, and a fossil-hunting family’s way of life. (Chalk Lily Books, 2025)

Announcing the 2026 Kansas Authors Club Children's Book Award Finalists

7/13/2026

The Kansas Authors Club, supporting writers since 1904, announces the finalists for the 2026 Kansas Authors Club Book Awards. Each year the organization recognizes published books in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, Kansas history, poetry, children’s books, and book design. Finalists within each category are selected by a panel of readers made up of members, community members, and book professionals. The finalists from each category are then delivered to judges for the award decisions and announced at the 2026 fall gathering, this year taking place as the 2026 Kansas Writing Convention held at Rock Springs Ranch near Junction City, October 2-4, 2026.

Kansas Authors Club
Children’s Book Award – Finalists
Picture Book Category

Rosemary Chick: Pip, Zip, Hooray!
by Dawn Feltrop

Pip, zip,–hooray! Join Rosemary, a determined little chick, on a charming adventure as she works to break free from her shell. With encouragement from her brother Sassafras, Rosemary learns to pip, zip, and persevere through each challenge. Perfect as a kindergarten read-aloud and a farm animal story for preschoolers, this heartwarming tale gently teaches important life lessons. Young readers will be inspired by this children's book about courage, designed to nurture a growth mindset and highlight the power of perseverance. This uplifting story also serves as a confidence-building book for children and a meaningful social emotional learning picture book, helping kids understand that with encouragement and determination, they can overcome challenges and celebrate their own little "hooray" moments. A joyful story about courage, persistence, and the celebration of new beginnings–perfect for home, classroom, or story time. (Happy Horizon Publishing, 2025)

Ezra’s Valentines: A Story of Kindness and Love,
by Sherry Krehbiel

Each year, Ezra made valentines for his classmates, friends, and family—but this year was different. He didn't want to spend time making them, and he didn't care if he got any either. Valentine's Day isn't that important anyways, thought Ezra. But when he sees "show kindness" on his chore list, Ezra begins to reconsider. Follow along in this heartwarming story as Ezra discovers what truly matters—family, friends, kindness, and love. (Miriam Laundry Publishing, 2025)

Cowboy Cooper and the Ghost Town,
by Ben St. James

Cowboy Cooper sets out to explore a mysterious ghost town, he's on a quest to find treasures for his school project. But what he discovers is even more valuable—a lesson from the past! Cowboy Cooper & The Ghost Town is a charming story that teaches kids the value of history and why it's important to preserve it. Filled with excitement, spooky encounters, and a moral that resonates, this book is ideal for children who are curious about the past and love a good adventure. (Independent, 2025)

Kansas Authors Club
Children’s Book Award – Finalists
Middle Grade Reader Category

Fires Burning Underground,
by Nancy McCabe

It’s Anny’s first day of middle school and, after years of being homeschooled, her first day of public school ever. In art, Larissa asks what kind of ESP is her favorite: telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, or telekinesis? Tracy asks how she identifies: gay, straight, bi, asexual, pan, trans, or confused? And thus kicks off a school year for Anny in which she’ll navigate a path between childhood and adolescence, imagination and identity. In a year of turmoil and transition, with a new awareness of loss after the death of a friend, Anny struggles to find meaning in tragedy, to come to terms with her questions about her sexuality, and to figure out how to negotiate her own ever-shifting new friendships. And when her oldest friend’s life is in danger, she must summon up her wits, imagination, and the ghosts that haunt her to save them both. (Regal House Publishing, 2025)

Living Fire: Zeb Finley and the Hornswoggled Thief,
by Lois Ruby

Twelve-year-old Zeb Finley, a New York street urchin, is half dare-devil and half day-dreamer. He’s the last boy off the Orphan Train deep into the Midwestern prairie, sweating in his itchy new clothes when he meets the lonely young widow, Idella Spurlock, waiting at the train stop. She’s alone, he’s alone, and so the two trudge off together. Neither imagines what will soon season their lives, including a train robber named Tucker, a stash of booty from Tucker’s heist, an encounter with a grey wolf, and swarming grasshoppers that darken the sun, level crops, stop trains in their tracks, and chomp wool off the shirts on their backs. And then there’s the murderous Bender family. Kate Bender promises, “Cross my palm with coin, and I’ll reach your pa in the World Beyond.” Can she, or is she a total fake? Zeb hankers to hop on a train back to New York where life was free and simple—except for freezing, starving, and sleeping in muddy gutters. But maybe he’ll make his peace with Idella, with a prairie girl named Lucy who teaches him how to shoot a cottontail, with Osage Indians, and with the lovable scoundrel, Tucker. Or maybe not. Before Zeb nearly loses himself on the vast Kansas prairie, he must find his heroic self in the story he’s secretly writing about Montague Mortis, and the Hornswoggled Horse Thief. Living Fire is a rollicking novel with humor and heart, in harmony with the Kansas motto, “To the stars through difficulties.” (Meadowlark Press, 2025)

Social Media for Authors: Saturday State Program

7/12/2026

We look forward to hosting Catherine Menefee for the next state program. Zoom link is available to members via the email newsletter and/or the new membership site.

If you have not yet signed into the new membership site, here are the instructions for members with dues current:

Since this is a new website, you will need to create a new password. It is not connected to the password you had previously with Kansas Authors Club.

Go to this page: https://kansasauthorsclub1904.wildapricot.org/
Put in your email
Check the "I am not a robot" box
select "forgot password"
and it should email you instructions for creating a "new" one, which is in fact your first for this website.
Once there, take a moment to update your profile and your preferences if you would like.

If your dues are not current, simply register to join at Wild Apricot and we'll get you back on the member roster!

The recording of the June program by Laurie L. Dove 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!

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.

Catherine on Tik Tok

Catherine on Facebook

Catherine on Instagram

Introducing our 2026 Kansas Writing Convention Speakers

7/6/2026

Just Like Selling Girl Scout Cookies:
How to Create Your Community

Presented by: Ann Vigola Anderson

Remember selling Girl Scout cookies? You probably identified your audience (friends, family, teachers), practiced a little sales pitch for those Thin Mints, and closed the deal!

In this session, we will elevate those concepts to help promote you and your book.

Identify your target audience
Create your wish list/goals
Create your elevator speech

Plus some fun stuff, too!

Learn more about Ann and other convention presenters.

Early Bird Savings ends August 31.

Old Man of the Fossil Beds receives Finalist award from the NIEA

7/3/2026

Member Melanie Bonner Thomas's book, a family memoir and scientific biography, received a National Indie Excellence® Award (NIEA) in June. The book, published in October 2025, was chosen as Finalist in the Nature category. The organization's press release states: “For two decades, the NIEA has served as a highly respected honor in independent publishing, celebrating exceptional books from self-published authors, small to mid-sized presses, and university presses across all genres.”

Since 2005, the NIEA has championed the physical book as a cornerstone of the publishing industry, evaluating titles on both literary merit and the quality of design, presentation, and production. Doug Fogelson, President, National Indie Excellence® Awards, stated, “Independent publishing today has never been more vital or more impressive. What we see in each competition is proof that when writers are free to tell the stories they believe in, the results are extraordinary. We are honored to celebrate that spirit, and to shine a light on books that deserve to be read.”

Welcome, Martin Keenan - Wichita Area Group

7/1/2026

Marty Keenan was born and raised in Great Bend, a fifth generation Kansan. Marty worked on the Great Bend High School newspaper, Panther Tales. A graduate in political science and law at KU, Marty chose the family business of becoming a lawyer, but wrote Kansas or Great Bend history articles as a hobby.
A lengthy article about pioneering black filmmaker Oscar Micheaux, the son and grandson of Great Bend Exodusters, was turned down for publication so Keenan posted the article on the internet—which seemed like a miraculous invention at the time. This led to several film festivals in Great Bend and Marty became friends with filmmakers and writers.
Marty encouraged author Patrick McGilligen to write a successful biography on Micheaux, but when Keenan learned that World War II spy Joan Bondurant (1918-2006) was a Great Bend native, he spent 15 years writing her biography in his spare time. The book was released on Amazon this year as BONDURANT: The Spy Who Cracked Gandhi’s Code (2026).
Keenan was inspired to complete the book and release it by his neighbor in Wichita, Jillian Forsberg. Publishing a book was new to Keenan, but he has sold 150 copies and considers the book a success simply because it was published. Keenan’s Oscar-winning friend Kevin Willmott gave him this pearl of wisdom:” Don’t let other people define success for you.” The book deals mostly with India and Gandhi as Bondurant learned Japanese and helped crush Imperial Japan with bombs, but met Gandhi during the war and became the top author in the West about Gandhi’s philosophy of conflict. Bondurant is unknown outside a tiny circle of Gandhi scholars but he hopes his book faithfully captured her life’s work.

Book Talk with Member Susan Armstrong @ Watermark Books, July 23, 6:00 p.m.

6/30/2026

This year, as the United States of America celebrates 250 years of liberty, member Susan Armstrong has co-authored a patriotic new book with Vlasta Honolka, of Augusta.

The book, titled They Gave All For Freedom: the powerful true story of one family’s quest for freedom, and the two countries they served, was published in March. It is a triumph-over-adversity story of the Honolka family, who immigrated from Czechoslovakia to the USA seventy-five years ago, after many years under the Nazi regime, Communist Russia's occupation, in prisons and displaced persons camps.

Writing in a narrative, journalistic style, Susan draws from Vlasta’s personal memories as the youngest daughter in the Honolka family. She incorporates newspaper articles, family letters and other documents to bring authenticity to the story.

The book is now available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, in paperback and e-book formats. Locally, it is in-stock at Watermark Books & Cafe, in Wichita.

You are invited to join the authors at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, July 23, 2026, for a Book Talk, at Watermark Books & Café, 4701 E Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS 67218. The event is free, but reservations are requested. Call Watermark Books: 316-682-1181.

Member Connlyn Sinclair Publishes Kawmazing Tales, a Fantasy Collection with a Kansas Setting

6/29/2026

Connlyn Sinclair announces probably the only fantasy collection about the state of Kansas to be published this year. Kawmazing Tales reprints all of his stories set locally: Bigfoot Village, The Origins of Kansas Man, Fairy Fire Over Kansas, Around The World 80 Games, and Pike & Pistol in a fake magazine that is probably the greatest gag gift written by a KAC member.

Kawmazing Tales

#ReadLocalKS: The Sigh and Flutter

6/26/2026

Member Amy Kliewer sends a reading recommendation!

I thoroughly enjoyed The Sigh and Flutter, poems by Julie Ann Baker Brin. Her poems touch on the realities of everyday life and relationships while displaying the fleeting wonders of the natural world for us to gaze at in awe. And the cover art is gorgeous!

Amy Kliewer and Julie Ann Baker Brin are members from the Wichita area.

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.

Member Poetry Book Receives Honorable Mention at San Francisco Book Festival

6/26/2026

Kevin R Peterson’s poetry chapbook A Poetic Wandering received an honorable mention at this year’s San Francisco Book Festival. Kevin is a KAC member from Salina.

Kevin R Peterson is a 4th generation Kansan born on January 29 – Kansas Day. His affinity for poetry began in high school and grew as a result of a local writer’s group. He was fortunate enough to have many of his early works published by editors of numerous poetry magazines that were in print during the 1980s.

He has authored four poetry chapbooks: The Years Have Come - 1986, Kendra, A Father’s Feelings – 1986, Perceived Realities – 1987, and Traps – 1989. In 1989 Kevin wrote the book Our Spark of Hope which detailed the story of his daughter becoming one of the first children in the United States to receive a cochlear implant.

Kevin was pulled away from creative writing for a time as he was involved with technical writing: creating brochures, writing magazine articles, posting internet articles, and sharing hundreds of case histories that explained processes and solutions for products manufactured by companies he worked with.

Since retirement he has returned to creative writing, having recently authored his latest book of poetry A Poetic Wandering – 2025. In 2026, this book was nominated for the Eric Hoffer Book Award and received an Honorable Mention at the San Francisco Book Festival. Kevin is a member of the Kansas Authors Club and Per Aspera Poets.

Member Quarter Page "Book Ads"

6/26/2026

Ideal for single book promotion.

Ads will be displayed on the Kansas Authors Club website throughout the year (home page and convention page with links through to the advertiser’s website).

Ads will be featured individually on Kansas Authors Club social media pages.

Ads will be printed in the 2026 Writing Convention Program.

*Ads received by August 15 will be printed in the Writing from the Center Zine

Ads will be printed in the 2027 Kansas Authors Club yearbook and remain a part of the 2026 event online archives.

for ad creation and payment guidelines.

Details for Half Page, Full Page, and Sponsor Advertising is available here as well.

Member Connlyn Sinclair Publishes "Strange Detective Stories"

6/25/2026

Lawrence author Connlyn Sinclair has long loved classic mysteries like Sweet Danger and Murders In The Rue Morgue which blended the real and the absurd. He loves them so much we wrote an ebook of several stories in that style which is now on Amazon. The collection reprints seven of his strangest detective stories which range from being actual science fiction to just being really weird.

The Absurd Detective Book: Seven Strange Cases

Member Cynthia Mines Debuts Historical Novel set in Early 20th Century Kansas

6/24/2026

Heaven in a Wildflower by Cynthia Mines 978-1-972231-05-0 (hard cover) 978-1-972231-01-2 (paperback) 978-1-972231-04-3 (ebook) 978-1-972231-06-7 (audio) FICTION / Historical / General FICTION / Coming of Age FICTION / Small Town & Rural

Heaven in a Wildflower, a novel by Cynthia Mines, is the story of Kristin Thorsen, who is forced to grow up in a lonely prairie parsonage in central Kansas with her father as the Great War rages in Europe. Twenty years later, when her husband leaves for World War II, Kristin returns to the prairie to explore her past and write down memories to pass on to her daughter.

Set among fields of emerald-green winter wheat, the coming-of-age story takes on Oz overtones when Kristin is befriended by a neighbor widow and a local seed merchant on a journey to trust her heart and summon the courage to explore beyond the vast horizon. She leaves the prairie for Kansas City where she is hired as a Harvey Girl at Union Station in the early 1920s.

“(The author) has thoughtfully and lovingly distilled Kansas history into a page-turning novel,” wrote Ted Ayres, producer/host of “Inside the Cover,” a PBS Kansas program, in an advance review. “This coming-of-age story will educate, inform, and entertain readers of all ages.”
For more than four decades, Mines has researched Kansas history through roles as publisher-editor of Travel Kansas magazine for 32 years, as a reporter for the Wichita Business Journal, and as the author of the nonfiction book, For the Sake of Art: The Story of a Kansas Renaissance, which was named a Kansas Notable Book in 2016. Her articles have appeared in dozens of publications, including the Los Angeles Times. This is her first novel.

Mines turned to fiction to tell Kansas stories because she believed a historical novel might reach more readers than a nonfiction book. “Kansas has such a rich and varied history, I wanted as many people as possible to know what life was like on the prairie,” she said. “This also seemed an especially important time to preserve and amplify the significant role immigrants played in building the state.”

She added that another goal was to try and “capture the essence and enigma that is Kansas, a state that has produced President Dwight D. Eisenhower, aviatrix Amelia Earhart, and Pulitzer Prize-winning writers William Allen White and William Inge. Interestingly, these brilliant and inspiring Kansans did not hail from the state’s larger cities--they were shaped by their hometowns of Abilene, Atchison, Emporia, and Independence.”

The 360-page book is available in hard cover ($38), paperback ($25), ebook ($12) and audiobook narrated by Marsha Hoover ($16) wherever books are sold. The book has been certified free of AI by the Authors Guild.

Meadowlark Press, established in Emporia in 2014, publishes novels, memoirs, poetry and children’s books with a focus on Midwestern settings and authors. Meadowlark Press also awards the annual Birdy Prize to the best full-length collection of poetry nationwide.

Heaven in a Wildflower @ Meadowlark Bookstore

An award-winning writer, Cynthia Mines published The Wichita Times and Travel Kansas magazine for more than thirty years. Her articles have appeared in dozens of publications, including travel articles in the Los Angeles Times. Her book, For the Sake of Art: The Story of a Kansas Renaissance, was named a Kansas Notable Book in 2016. She is the author of two other books on Kansas history as well as numerous articles and chapters. This is her first novel.

A graduate of McPherson College, she earned a master’s degree in English from Wichita State University. She lives with her husband, Toby, and dog, Ozzie, on the prairie in central Kansas.

Educator’s Dedication to Cultural Awareness and Innovative Teaching Brings Rewards to Kansas Students and Beyond

6/24/2026

Member Book Announcement:

Uncharted Paths: A Memoir of Teaching and Learning Lakshmi Kambampati BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Personal Memoirs EDUCATION / Multicultural Education TRAVEL / Asia / India & South Asia SOCIAL SCIENCE / Emigration & Immigration Paperback: 978-1-972231-02-9 Ebook: 978-1-972231-03-6

In Uncharted Paths: A Memoir of Teaching and Learning, Wichita resident Lakshmi Kambampati shares the most important lessons of her career: not the ones she taught, but the ones she learned from students and communities around the world.

“Uncharted Paths invites us to share a teacher’s colorful and endearing journey among students she met and the teaching problems she encountered in classrooms across the world. The adventures of this teacher-ambassador are sometimes ironic and often thrilling. As years pass, she learns how education happens beyond the seas and in cultures little known to us. Go with her—you’ll be glad you did,” writes William F Woods, PhD, Professor Emeritus of English, Wichita State University.

Originally from India, Kambampati has called Wichita, Kansas, her home for the past four decades. This memoir, a collection of recollections, chronicles her journey as an immigrant, an educator, and a traveler. Through moments of cultural misunderstandings, personal triumphs, and professional growth, she offers insights that inspire readers to embrace diversity, navigate challenges, and find purpose in service.

With a Master of Science in Geography and a Master of Education in School Administration, she taught mathematics at Butler Community College and Wichita Technical College, history at Friends University, and mathematics for Wichita Public Schools.

Her passion for education has taken her across the world. Highlights of her career include receiving a Fulbright Professional Excellence Award, serving as a two-time Peace Corps Volunteer, and working as a U.S. State Department-sponsored English Language Fellow. She trained teachers in India and Liberia, empowered women entrepreneurs in Tanzania, and shared innovative teaching methods globally. These experiences are shared in her memoir.

Her contributions earned regional and national recognition, including the City of Wichita’s proclamation of August 15, 2000, as “Lakshmi Kambampati Day” and ING Ltd.’s “Unsung Hero” award for her creative teaching approaches. She has presented at national and international conferences on education and pedagogy, bridging cultures through knowledge exchange.

The 232-page book is now available in paperback ($25) and ebook ($9) wherever books are sold.

Meadowlark Press, established in Emporia in 2014, publishes novels, memoirs, poetry and children’s books with a focus on Midwestern settings and authors. Meadowlark Press also awards the annual Birdy Prize to the best full-length collection of poetry nationwide.

Uncharted Paths @ Meadowlark Bookstore

Lakshmi Kambampati brings a lifetime of rich experiences as an educator and cultural ambassador to her first book--Uncharted Paths—a memoir of pliability, cultural exchange, and lifelong learning. With a Master of Science in Geography and a Master of Education in School Administration, she taught mathematics at Butler Community College and Wichita Technical College, history at Friends University, and mathematics for Wichita Public Schools.

Her passion for education has taken her across the world. Highlights of her career include receiving a Fulbright Professional Excellence Award, serving as a two-time Peace Corps Volunteer, and working as a U.S. State Department-sponsored English Language Fellow. She trained teachers in India and Liberia, empowered women entrepreneurs in Tanzania, and shared innovative teaching methods globally. These experiences deepened her understanding of education’s power to transform lives.

Her contributions earned regional and national recognition, including the City of Wichita’s proclamation of August 15, 2000, as “Lakshmi Kambampati Day” and ING Ltd.’s “Unsung Hero” award for her creative teaching approaches. She has presented at national and international conferences on education and pedagogy, bridging cultures through knowledge exchange.

This memoir—a collection of reflections—chronicles her journey as an immigrant, educator, and traveler. Through moments of cultural misunderstandings, personal triumphs, and professional growth, she offers insights that inspire readers to embrace diversity, navigate challenges, and find purpose in service.

Beyond teaching and writing, she finds joy in painting vibrant nature scenes with acrylics and tending to her organic garden. These passions, like her travels, keep her connected to the beauty of the world and the lessons it continues to offer.

June 30 - Deadline for 105 Meadowlark Reader, Theme - Borrowed

6/23/2026

105 Meadowlark Reader: Guidelines

July 1 - Registration Deadline for Exhibitors, Kansas Book Festival

6/23/2026

The 15th Annual Kansas Book Festival is scheduled for Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Library on the campus of Washburn University. July 1st is the deadline to register as an exhibitor at the Kansas Book Festival. https://kansasbookfestival.com/exhibitors/