Sunday, March 20, 2011

Thursday, March 17, 2011

HAPPY ST.PATTY'S DAY! I will be wearing a little green as I play in my woodland garden today. Soon there will be little furry baby squirrels playing. My friend Mrs. M has little ones. When she sees me she comes running to my window, with her little hands reaching upward for me to toss down a peanut or two. We have been friends for about five years. I have taken photos of her and other family members playing,eating and working. I have written a picture book about two squirrels. If/when the manuscript is sold, I'll have lots of neat photos for kids to enjoy.

Sunday, March 13, 2011


SURVIVAL

Stumps in the woods
Display above the ground
Long finger roots
Reaching, searching
For life everlasting
Wild boars’ root
To unearth a treat
Of truffles hidden
Near large oak roots
A murder of bright-eyed
Ravens root them on
Waiting for just
A small morsel
Of a dinning treat.
© Mary Nida Smith
The word "root" was the word for the month
on author David L. Harrison's blog.
This is the poem I placed on David' W.O.M.
Join us.

Friday, March 11, 2011

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: I get so excited every time I receive my e-newsletter
from Elizabeth Kennedy at http://about.com/childrensbooks Elizabeth
writes everything about children's books. She writes about books for
each age group and daily events. Check it out!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

TWIN LAKES WRITERS, MOUNTAIN HOME,ARKANSAS
Twin Lake Writers meet March 12, 1-3:30 in the Knox Community
Room A at the Donald W. Reynolds Library. Guest speaker is
Kerri Fivecoat Campbell, a local independent writer and social
media marketer/manager.

She will share“Blogging to Build your Brand.” As an independent
writer and author, she learned to build the brand for her company and
others though social media and blogging.

Her interest in social media was born on the old Prodigy network. Today,
she lives in a 480-square-foot home on Bull Shoals Lake with her five
rescue dogs and a very patient husband, where she writes and assists
with marketing campaigns. Campbell, also blogs about life in a small
home at http://www.livinglargeinourlittlehouse/. Since launching in
2008, the website receives an average of 100,000 hits per month.
For more information call Mary Nida Smith 870-431-5369
or marynida@suddenlink.net

Saturday, March 05, 2011

CHILDREN'S WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS workshops and conferences coming up.
If you write or illustrate for the children's market, check out these SCBWI events. Each one has editors/agents to pitch to and authors to learn from.

Arkansas (SCBWI) Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators April 29-30
http://www.arkansasscbwi.org/

Missouri SCBWI Conference and workshops at http://moscbwi.org/

Ozark Writers and Illustrators For Children July 30th-Summer Workshop http://www.owaic.org/

NC Children's Writers & Illustrators 1-3 p.m., March 26, children's author Marsha Diane Arnold will be at Storytime at 10:30-1130 a.am., (The public is welcome at both programs.)
http://www.marshadianearnold.com/

Friday, March 04, 2011

North Central Children's Writers & Illustrators meet tomorrow, Saturday March 5, down stairs in the Children's-Teen's Multipurpose Room in the Donald W. Reynolds Library, Mountain Home, AR. Guest speaker is Judy Transue, Assistant Children's Librarian. Information marynida@suddenlink.net
Website: http://www.nccwi.org
The writing and publishing world is changing. Join a writers group in your area to keep up with what you want to accomplish for your writing goals.

Wednesday, March 02, 2011


(c) Photo by Mary Nida Smith
Calico Rock, Arkansas
A neat place.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES: NewPages.com http://www.newpapes.com/bookstores A guide to bookstores in the U.S. and Canada. Lots of important information on this web page.
Support your local bookstores.
THAT BOOKSTORE -Blytheville,AR http://www.tbib.com/
WORDS AFTERWORDS, Hardy, AR http://wordsafterwords.com/
IT'S A MYSTERY BOOKSTORE, Berryville, AR
TREASURE HOUSE BOOKS, Harrison 870-743-5624
BOOKS GALORE BOOKS A MILLION, Branson

Check out Ozark Regional Arts Council, http://www.ozarkregionalartscouncil.org/
Gaston Lecture March 8th at 7 p.m. http://wwwasu.mh.edu/
Books in Bloom at Eureka Springs in May has been cancelled.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Let the Voting Began! W.O.M. at http://davidlharrison.com/ check our my poem for February. See what can happen when you are in a hurry. I placed David website URL and not his blog where you vote. David's blog http://davidlharrison.wordpress.com I hate it when I make mistakes; but I probably make them often without realizing it. I have to remind myself not to hurry, hurry, hurry.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

WRITERS, ILLUSTRATORS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS: Our friends Kathy & Jim Johnson at Enterprise Printing Company in Bull Shoals, Arkansas can print your books, booklets, brochures and more. For illustrators and photographers you can place your art work on note cards to sell at your next signing or speaking engagement. http://www.enterpriseprintingweb.com/

Feb 23, Friends of the Library Board Meeting followed by the Friends (FOL) regular meeting with speaker and refreshments.

March will be a busy month: All writers groups meet at the library on the dates stated from 1-3 p.m.

March 5, is North Central Children's Writers & Illustrators. I hope to reschedule assistant librarian Judy Transue (Donald W. Reynolds Library) to speak at this meeting. Feb 5th meeting was canceled due to a bad snow storm.

March 12, Twin Lakes Writers will have guest speaker Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell (Program-Blogging). http://livinglargeinourlittlehouse.com & http://www.writeforyou.biz

March 26,Donald W. Reynolds Library,Twin Lakes Writers & North Central Children's Writers & Illustrators are sponsoring children's author Marsha Diane Arnold. She will be sharing with the children during the morning storytelling time and in the afternoon with the children's writers group. http://www.marshadianearnold.com/

Check out http://www.palletartleague.org

Print out and save - tack it up to remind you not to miss these exciting programs for March. Any questions email me at - marynida@suddenlink.net

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

BOOKSALE - DONALD W. REYNOLDS LIBRARY, MOUNTAIN HOME, ARKANSAS
FEB 17-18-19TH

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Twin Lakes Writers last Saturday enjoyed our guest
speaker, Karen Montgomery. She shared her traveling kit
and book “Dress Well and Travel Light” that is sold on Amazon.
Karen also shared with us the steps to creating her kit and how she
promotes herself and how to travel light. We all brain stormed
where to, and how to promote your work. It was very interesting.

Today was the White River Writers Guild meeting in Batesville.
For future meetings get in touch with Earl Belcher june.bell123@gmail.com
Earl’s website: http://lambelectronicpublishing.yolasite.com/

Go to
http://www.yola.com/ to inquire for a free website and http://www.webs.com/

Don’t forget the Cherokee Village Writers Guild meet the 4th Tuesday
at the Sharp County Library, Hardy, Arkansas 9-11 a.m.
Pat Oplinger poplinger@centurytel.net

Thank you members for your monthly donations to help support future plans
for our organization. I will share in February’s newsletter and will welcome
your input. Planning ahead will help continue Twin Lakes Writers to go
forward in the right direction.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
When did a card sent
on St. Valentine's Day change
from a greeting of love
to a greeting of gifts?

This small beautiful card came
so packed with love, my heart
was over joyed. Thanks granddaughter!
I love you too. #1Fan
GREETINGS
Today on Valentine’s day
our hearts openly
display what we hold
dearly within us.
The expression of love
without regrets everyday
not only on Valentine’s Day
but throughout the year.
Sharing love in
many small ways
knowing life
does not
go on forever.
(c)by Mary Nida Smith

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

TWIN LAKES WRITERS MEET AT
DONALD W. REYNOLD LIBRARY
SATURDAY FEB 12 1-3:30
Karen Montgomery will be our guest speaker.

Karen is the founder of "Chic Valise" a company
dedicated to helping others dress well and travel light.
Her program will help us be informed as authors andfreelance
writers to travel only with what is needed.
For information: marynida@suddenlink.net
Feb 19th Free Verse Poetry Group of Mountain Home
Feb 25th Baxter County Poet's Assocation
Check the library events calendar http://www.baxlib.net
http:www.deepsouthmag.com Poetry of the South - history
or other interesting things about the South.

Monday, February 07, 2011


PIN FEATHERED
© by Mary Nida Smith
Birds of a feather
Flock together
Protecting each other
From feather heads
Gathering cozy feathers
To feather their beds
And jackets for winter warmth.
Feather-weights will pull
Tail feathers to feather
Their nest while birds
Go naked by day
And freeze by night
As two legged creatures
Nestle down in cozy
Feather beds gathered
From birds that
Flock together.
Placed on Feb W.O.M. David L. Harrison's blog

Saturday, February 05, 2011

New Blog: http://laurelsheridan.blogspot.com
or www.laurelsheridan.com

Me and my two friends enjoying time
in the children's library area. We have
supported each other as writers for several years
in trying to form a children's writers group.
We now have one. It is exciting. Today, it was canceled
because of bad weather.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Naomi Shaw
Sent: February Meeting Reminder Ozark Writers and
Illustrators for Children at the Library Station, Sept. 5
from 9:00 to 11:00. Janet Weber and Joyce Raglund
are presenting an encouraging program.Invest in Yourself:
Janet and Joyce bring you perks gained from MoSCBWI
and SCBWI events. Networking pays-big time!
There will be a short business meeting with
announcements regarding our summer workshop
that I think all will be excited about.
Also, as usual, a critique session will follow.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

NORTH CENTRAL CHILDREN'S WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS MEET SATURDAY FEBRUARY 5, 1-3 P.M. GUEST SPEAKER JUDY TRANSUE, CHILDREN'S LIBRARIAN ASSISTANT, DONALD W. REYNOLDS PUBLIC LIBRARY, MOUNTAIN HOME , AR. ROOM "A" KNOX COMMUNITY ROOM.

SATURDAY MORNING 10:30-11:30 - LOCAL CHILDREN 'S AUTHOR ELAINE WILSON WILL BE SHARING AT STORYTIME IN THE CHILDREN'S LIBRARY.

AFTERNOON: NC CHILDREN'S WRITER'S & ILLUSTRATOR'S MEETING
Bring: Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market Book
A sample of a query and a cover letter
A manuscript to read or have critiqued
Illustrators bring your illustrations/drawings

If you want to only listen and learn - this is okay.

Mary Nida Smith, Founder & President
marynida@suddenlink.net