Saturday, January 24, 2009

Writers’ Conferences, Workshops, and Websites: Start checking writers’ groups websites early to have time to enter their contest and to prepare to attend your favorite conference or workshop.

January 28, The Friends of the Library meets at 1:30 p.m., at the Baxter County Library, Mountain Home. Please join us and watch our new library go up and forward.
February 21st Ozarks Writers League http://www.ozarkswritersleague.org
March 7 Bel Arco Writers Workshops will have a “How to Create a Bog” workshop http://belarcowritersworkshops.blogspot.com
March 13-15 Missouri Spring Retreat http://www.scbwi-mo.org
March 15-17 41st Annual Literature Festival University of Central Missouri http://library.ucmo.edu/childlit/clf
April 3-5 94th Annual Missouri Writers’ Guild Conference http://www.missouriwritersguild,org
May 15-16 Arkansas SCBWI Spring Conference http://www.arkansasscbwi.org
June 5-6 The Sixty-Fifth Annual Arkansas Writers’ Conference

Vivian Brown author of “Finding the Gold Ring” (Non-fiction) and a new mystery “Just LikeYour Mother” published by Xlibris, and “Thirsty For Love” by Tate Publishing. Vivian is a new writer to this area from California.
Debbie Ridpath Ohi wrote the book, “Writes Online Marketplace.” I am hoping Writers
Digest Books will ask her to do an update. It is a very helpful book.
http://www.debbieohi.com

Elaine Deyo is the author and illustrator of children’s books. http://meet.branson.com
Mike McArthy is a photographer who uses some of his photos to reproduce in a creative manner depicting paintings, drawings, animations and antique interpretations. http://www.photozarks.com

God has blessed me with a huge imagination filled with all my senses or is it non-sense.
A writer is always a writer – their blood flows from a pen into words, only the act of God can remove this drive or as some people would characterize - a disease of the mind – she is out of her place of what a woman is suppose to do.

Discouragement comes from the devil and encouragement comes from God.
Faith makes things possible, not easy.
Exercise daily, walk with God

Christian writers and market places: http://www.christianwriterssubinfo.synthasite.com
http://www.sallyclark.com
http://www.zonacrabtree.com
www.churchmousepublcations.com

Thursday, January 15, 2009

AUTHOR TOUR FEATURES PERSONAL VISITS IN HOMES AND STUDIOS

On June 7-14, Writers Hall of Fame, headquartered in Springfield, Missouri is sponsoring a bus tour to visit fifteen of Missouri’s most successful and well known children’s authors, artists, playwrights, and poets, many of whom are members of SCBWI.

Tour guide, Dr. Linda Benson, is professor emeritus of children’s literature at Missouri State University. Graduate and undergraduate college credit is available through Drury University and can be transferred.

The tour begins in St. Louis and moves to Kansas City and southwest Missouri before returning to St. Louis eight days later. Along the way you’ll meet in the homes and studios of Pat and Fred McKissack, Constance Levy, Lynn Rubright, Vicki Grove, C. B. Mordan, Eileen Bluestone Sherman, Cheryl Harness, Dorinda Nicholson, J. B. Cheaney, David Harrison, Judy and Ross Young, Kate Klise, and Veda Boyd Jones.

Other highlights include a riverboat dinner cruise with entertainment, a tour of historic St. Charles with costumed docent, a performance at Shepherd of the Hills Amphitheatre, and visits to Precious Moments Park & Chapel and Laura Ingalls Wilder home and museum.

Your tour will include round trip deluxe motor coach transportation, 7 nights deluxe lodging with hot breakfast and manager’s reception each evening, 7 dinners and 1 lunch. All taxes, service charges, group meal, gratuities and coach driver’s gratuity are included in the price of your ticket. Prices range from $1,169 (four in a room) to $1,711 (for a single).

For more information contact David Harrison (dlharrison@mchsi.com). To make reservations, contact Brian Garrison (BGarrison@greatsoutherntravel.com). Reservations require $500 down and the rest by May 8.

Submitted by David Harrison

Saturday, January 03, 2009

Publishing trends, fun vacation and gathering books:

Publishing is quickly changing like everything else. Don’t give up! Keep doing what you love to do. But, you must keep up with the changes. Learn from reading and studying authors, agents, and publishers’ blogs and websites. Search information provided for writing assignments on the Internet. The Internet may be one of the most important sources of business for future writers.

Publishing Trends at http://www.publishingtrends.com/
Read Twin Lakes Writer’s President Nancy Thatcher Cerny web page at http://www.twinlakeswriters.org/; she has an informative piece on the future of publishing.

I will try to get back to writing on my blog once a week. Right now, it is difficult for I am overwhelmed with catching up in the Garden Studio Office, meeting with friends to catch-up, and women’s work. I have gathered lots information to share in future blogs. So, hang on to your hat and write.

I had my wonderful son here for over two weeks. He is fun and funny. We all traveled to Naperville to spend a few days with my wonderful daughter, son-in-law and very special grandkids. I felted like a teenager on vacation. I visited Anderson’s Bookstore where I picked up a lot of free flyers filled with information and two children’s Christmas books – Cookie Angel by Bethany Roberts and The Year Of The Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston. Then, my granddaughter Nicole and I went to one of the libraries where I purchased 14 books at 25 cents each: Non-fiction hardbacks, children’s and adult books. Yes, I know I have about 400 books in my studio already. I enjoyed taking lots of photos.

Order of things to do: Date and press releases for the upcoming How to Create a Blog Workshop at Bel Arco Resort and Arkansas World War II Submarine Veterans Newsletter.