Last years poster for poetry month. I love poetry. Poetry written for children can be serious, but I love the ones that make me giggle and feel silly.

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2010 was a busy year. My big job is the maintenance of house inside and out and the usual women's chores. I use the free time I have to create. I will be creating another website for my finish book manuscripts, keep track of submitting, where published and work-in progress. I am hoping this will keep me accountable to work harder this year. ACCOMPLISHED 2010 (1.) BLOGGING IS AN IMPORTANT WRITERS TOOL: Published Feb issue of online magazine – Kid Magazine writers (2.) GOOD OLD DAYS magazine May/June issue: Buck, the Comeback Horse (3.) THE OZARKS MOUNTAINEER magazine July/August issue: Dept: Two photos with information also won a year’s subscription. (4.) OZARKS WRITERS LEAGUE: Speaker (5.) DAVID L. HARRISON BLOG: Guest Reader for the Day (6.) DAVID L. HARRISON BLOG: Guest as Word of Month Hall of Flame. (7.) DAVID L. HARRISON: Second runner up for poet of the year. (8.) DAVID L. HARRISON: Wrote a poem a month or more. TWIN LAKES WRITERS: Founded (1998) was president and newsletter editor and had the first writers’ conference in this area. Took five & half year to spent more time on my writing; continued to be involved with Authors Day (Founded by the TLW) at the library. I also organized writers’ workshops at a local resort. I became president again the spring of 2010. NORTH CENTRAL CHILDREN’S WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS I started in May 2010. I am the president. I am a member of the FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY, hospitality lady and board member, help set-up for the book sales and other things if needed. The new DONALD W. REYNOLDS LIBRARY opened October 2010. Our church MIDWAY BAPTIST CHURCH: Historian and photographer. Member of the OZARKS WRITERS LEAGUE, OZARKS WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS FOR CHILDREN and MISSOURI WRITER GUILD

HEAR THIS! HEAR THIS! IMPORTANT NEWS: If you enjoy writing about nature - WILD ABOUT NATURE blog is a must read. Good books, reviews, and a list of publishers that publish non-fiction books. I just won their last book give away: At the Sea Floor Cafe. To learn more check out the author Leslie Bulion website : http://www.lesliebulion.com On today's WRITING AND ILLUSTRATING blog a writing contest is mentioned for The Cherrios Spoonfuls of Stories -deadline July. The winner for 2010 was Laurie Isop. Both blogs are part of my blog roll on this blog.

Time Capsule Placement Ceremony

at the Donald W. Reynolds Library Sunday,April 10,2011

It was wonderful and exciting. Took anout 24 photos.

Twin Lakes Writers and North Central Children's Writers & Illustrator have enjoyed these speakers this year. Judy Transue, Karen Montgomery, Kerri Fivecoat Campbell, Marsha Diane Arnold Thank you all for being our guest speakers we have enjoyed each of you.

TWIN LAKES WRITERS MEET SATURDAY, APRIL 9, FROM 1-3:30 KNOX COMMUNITY ROOM A IN THE DONALD W. REYNOLDS LIBRARY

A Month of Celebrations; It is Stress Awareness Month, I have already put that in motion hopefully by the end of the month I will celebrate National Humor Month or maybe I'll invent by own a Celebration of Tears. Then I could drag out the guitar after all it is, International Guitar Month to create a song, "Tears of Stress and Laughter," while I help Keep America Beautiful Month celebration raking the lawn and tending the garden month. Or maybe I could list the titles of over 20 poems I have written on author David L. Harrison's blog the past 17 months; after all it is Poetry Month. There is always some kind of holiday and celebration each month that will make your day or week or month. There is 12 month to be serous, happy, cry, or think to yourself who cares for it is more fun to invent my own celebrations; such as Trimming Your Toes Month, or Cracking Knuckles Month. Have some fun invent your own and celebrate the moment.

April Fool's Day 1st and it isn't a joke that North Central Children's Writers & Illustrators (NCCWI) are meeting Saturday April 2 from 1-3 at the Donald W. Reynold's Library, Mountain Home, AR. --------------------OWAIC is meeting Saturday, April 2nd. It will not be at the Library Station. The meetingwill be upstairs at the Mid-town Carnegie Library, 397 S. Central, Springfield, from 8:30 - 11:00. Parking is not allowed on Central; parking is behind the library on S. Jefferson. Jefferson is a One-Way street southbound. Take Benton North, past Central High School and then turn east until Jefferson. Turn left on Jefferson and drive south to the parking lot north of Central. (There is an elevator to the second floor.) Coffee, tea and snacks will be provided. -----------------PROGRAM SPECIAL! MAKE A SCENE! Some say that fiction is the art of scene creation, and these days that's certainly true. As much as any playwright or novelist, an author has to tell the story in a series of vignettes that focus the action, corral the reader's attention, shape the characters, and move the plot. J. B. (Janie) Cheaney will share some ideas about scene creation that will help you get the reader into your story. Janie is the author of four published novels with two more in the hopper.

STORYTELLER MAGAZINE Cover photo (C) by Mary Nida Smith http://thestorytellermagazine.com/ Thank you, Regina!

INFORMATION FROM MY BLOGROLL LIST: More listed on my profile page. I am placing a taste of helpful information you will find; click on to their blogs to discover more. VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE MARCH POEM ON DAVID L. HARRISON’S BLOG. WRITING A DOCDRAMA (TRUE STORY BOOKS) by Sandra Markle WRITE ON – http://sandramarkle.blogspot.com/ FOUR W’s What happen? Who was involved? Where did it happen? Why did the event happen? And why was the outcome possible? BRAN SNEED ILLUSTRATOR guest on Kathy Temean Blog – WRITING AND ILLUSTRATING –Illustrator Saturday 1.Illustrations reflect the mood of the story. 2.Characters in a picture book are consistent throughout. Brad lives in Prairie Village and he illustrated Marsha Diane Arnold’s children’s picture book, THE PUMPKIN RUNNER. Marsha shared Saturday with the North Central Children’s Writers & Illustrators and the Twin Lakes Writers. She was a joy to meet and learn from. Marsha was born and raised in Kansas, but now lives in California. WRITER BEWARE BLOG (Victoria Strauss) “A MUST READ” Beware Midwest Literary Magazine. Berryville, Arkansas bookstore website: http://www.itsmystery.biz/ To learn more about MYSTERY BOOKSTORES: http://www.mysteryreaders.org/bookstores.html

AUTHOR MARSHA DIANE ARNOLD

Children’s book author Marsha Diane Arnold will be at
the Donald W. Reynolds Library, Mountain Home, AR
Saturday, March 26. Donald W. Reynolds Library is
co-sponsoring with North Central Children’s Writers
& Illustrators and Twin Lakes Writers. She will share
with the children at Story Time from 10:30-11:30 a.m.,
and from 1-3 p.m., with both writers groups down stairs
in the Children’s-Teen’s Multipurpose Room. Books will
be available for purchase and signing.

Marsha was labeled a “Born Storyteller” by the media.
She has authored several picture books: HEART OF THE
TIGER, PUMPKIN RUNNER, ROAR OF THE SNORE,
PRANCING LILY, HUGS ON THE WIND, and more.
She is now working on a chapter book. She taught aspiring
authors for nine years with the Institute of Children’s Literature.

In the afternoon she will share “7 Magical Ways to bring out
the Storyteller in you.” The program will be loaded with
information to inspire writers starting with 100 slides on
the art of the story, the craft of writing, conflict, themes,
strong protagonists, and rejections and determination. She
will share information on digital books and interactive books
followed with questions and answers.

Marsha’s website http://www.marshadianearnold.com/ Both
programs are open to the public. For more information call
Mary Nida Smith, president of both writers groups
870-431-5369 or email marynida@suddenlink.net
or Children’s Librarian, Deborah Edmonds
or Judy Transue, Assistant Librarian 870-508-0987
or visit http://www.baxlib.org/

SEE YOU SATURDAY!

SPRING IS HERE!

(c) by Mary Nida Smith
Along my woodland garden's stone wall.
Music of Spring
Trumpets of daffodils
sound loudly until
music of spring
days are fulfilled.
They now standstill
slowly returning
to the soil to rest
while spring continues
to blossom.
Wild plants and trees
join in to announce
this is the season
to be awake after
winter’s deep sleep.
© by Mary Nida Smith

WRITERS ASSOCIATIONS DIRECTORY
http://www.ebookscrossroads.com

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.

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.

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!

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

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/

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.

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