MWG Trivia Night: A Tisket, A Tasket, Coffee and Critique Donated Eight Baskets

In case you haven't heard, the Missouri Writers Guild is having a trivia night on Saturday, October 7th, at the First Congregational Church of St. Louis in Clayton, MO.

The details are on the flyer on the left. The writers in Coffee and Critique, the critique group I belong to, were informed of this by Marcia Gaye, our chapter's MWG rep.

Marcia mentioned the MWG was hoping to get each chapter to contribute a basket for the event's silent auction. Our small group of ten regularly attending writers was asked to donate items or cash to fill a basket.

With our writers group name of Coffee and Critique, we voted to go with a coffee and writing-related theme.

The response was outstanding. Our members donated enough items to fill not one or two or even three, but EIGHT baskets--almost one basket for each person in our group.

When I thanked Marcia for spearheading the MWG Trivia Night basket project, she responded with her usual humility, "It was a team effort."

She added that we had 100 percent participation. Marcia estimated the value of the eight baskets around $400!

Our generous contributors included: Sarah Angleton, Marcia Gaye, Jane Hamilton, Alice Muschany, Doug Osgood, Doyle Suit, Les Thompson, Donna Volkenannt, Pat Wahler, and Jack Zerr. A handful of our more talented members stayed after our meeting to assemble and decorate the baskets.

Les took photos of the baskets shown below. And I've been told Sarah did a marvelous job tying bows.

Donated items include a variety of coffees and teas, coffee mugs, two hand-made mug rugs, coffee-related items, tea cups and saucers, wine glasses, a bottle of imported German red wine, dark and milk chocolate (who doesn't love chocolate), scented candles, candle holders, several books written by our members, a copy of the Coffee and Critique anthology autographed by several contributors, journals, pens, office and writing-related items, baskets, ribbons, the Coffee and Critique brochure, and, DRUM ROLL, PLEASE:

TWO CERTIFICATES FOR DETAILED CRITIQUES (up to ten double-spaced pages) from our entire group.

Although I can't attend trivia night, I'll be there in spirit--and our critique group will be there in more than spirit--we will be represented by eight beautiful baskets.

If you attend MWG Trivia Night, please let me know how it went, and I hope you're high bidder on one of our baskets!

Pulitzer Prize Winner T. J. Stiles Discusses Jesse James and the Civil War in Missouri

St. Louis Civil War Roundtable

On the last day of November, I accompanied my writing friend and critique group member, Pat Wahler, across the Missouri River from St. Charles to the Civil War Roundtable of St. Louis event in South St. Louis.

Until recently, I hadn’t heard about the Civil War Roundtable of St. Louis. The warm and welcoming group's motto is, “bringing history to life,” and I'm glad I found out about this hidden St. Louis literary gem.

Pat and I attended this special event to hear acclaimed biographer and two-time Pulitzer Prize winning writer and National Book Award winner, T. J. Stiles. His Pulitzer Prize winning works include biographies of Cornelius Vanderbilt and George Armstrong Custer, which also won a Spur Award.  

Stiles' Civil War Roundtable talk highlighted some of the guerilla battles that savaged Missouri during the Civil War. He spoke with clarity and passion about how that vicious fighting impacted the life of Jesse James, the subject of his biography, Jesse James: the Last Rebel of the Civil War.

I’m interested in Missouri history, and Pat has completed a manuscript about the wife of Jesse James, so having an opportunity to listen to Mr. Stiles talk about Jesse James, one of Missouri’s most notorious historical figures, was an exceptional opportunity for both of us.

T. J. Stiles on Jesse James

After dinner, Mr. Stiles began his talk by setting the stage of a deeply divided Missouri, a state with Southern sensibilities and which shared borders with three free states. Violence against Jesse's family and other Southern sympathizers in the western part of Missouri near the Kansas border fostered James’ deeply held anti-Union feelings. According to Stiles, James was not only an outlaw bandit and a killer, he was also a complicated man with strong political convictions. For Jesse, the war was personal. James' path was encouraged by his iron-willed mother Zerelda, who was once described as “the meanest woman in Missouri.”

Mr. Stiles’ fascinating talk was followed by a brief question and answer session.

I’m generally more of a note-taker and listener than a questioner, but I was curious to find out how Mr. Stiles selects his subjects for research and writing.  So, I stepped out of my comfort zone and raised my hand. Because he spoke directly to me when he answered my question, I didn’t jot down his answer, but here’s what I recall.

The subjects he selects are:   

            Something/someone he likes reading about

            Dramatic/complex characters

            Something about which he wants to say something original or to take a different approach

            Something that results in a change in emphasis or perspective about the subject

         

Donna Volkenannt and T. J. Stiles

Afterwards, Pat and I joined a long line of folks waiting to have books signed or wanting to chat with Mr. Stiles, who graciously stayed until he met with the last person in line.

He even posed for photos. The one on the left is of him and me, taken by Pat.

You can read more about T. J. Stiles and his critically acclaimed books on his website.

The Civil War Roundtable of St. Louis will hold its next dinner in January with guest speaker Molly Kodner, Archivist at the Missouri History Museum. I'm looking forward to that discussion.

Submission Announcement from Well Versed and Winner of Behind Every Door

The Columbia Chapter of the Missouri Writers' Guild is now open for submissions of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and flash fiction for their 2017 issue of Well Versed.

Logo courtesy of CCMWG blog

Here are a few basic submission highlights:

Unpublished entries only

Deadline January 15, 2017

Winners announced April 7, 2017

Release date June 4, 2017

Complete guidelines, including cost for entering and prize amounts for each category, can be found on the Well Versed rules and submission guidelines page. 

***

Drum roll, please . . .

Next, is the announcement of the winner of Cynthia A. Graham's novel, Behind Every Door from Blank Slate Press, an imprint of Amphorae Publishing Group. Thanks to Cynthia for her interview questions and to everyone who left a comment.

My random number generator, aka my husband, picked the number five. 

Commenter #5 is : K9friend, aka Pat Wahler.

Congratulations, Pat. I will get the copy of Behind Every Door to you soon.

***

Finally, later this month I will feature a guest post about "setting as character" from Dixon Hearne, author of the short story collection Delta Flats: Stories in the Key of Blues and Hope.

I hope you will return to read what Dixon has to say on that topic.

St. Charles City-County Library Local Author Event

Donna and Marcia

I'm a bit late posting this, but I wanted to make sure I shared these photos and gave a report on last month's local author event sponsored by the St. Charles City-County Library.

This is the first year the sixth annual event was held at the Spencer Road Branch in St. Peters.

In previous years the event was held at the Middendorf-Kredell Library in O'Fallon.

The change in location was because the number of authors has increased every year.


Pat, Marcia, and Donna

This year, with more than 100 mostly local authors (as well as many from as far away as Cape Girardeau and Rolla), the beautiful and spacious Spencer Road Branch was the perfect site for the event.


When I first read there would be more than 100 authors on hand, I wondered how the library would pull it off.



Doyle Suit

I was pleased and impressed how organized the venue was, with each writer assigned a specific table area and given help carrying their books and other materials inside.

The rooms were roomy and laid out to encourage foot traffic.

The snacks were plentiful, and the library gave away several door prizes.

The library staff and volunteers did an outstanding job with this special event.



Sioux Roslawski

It was my good fortune to sit next to two of my favorite writers, Marcia Gaye and Pat Wahler, both members to Coffee and Critique.

Doyle Suit, another C&C member, was not far from where we sat.


Sioux Roslawski and Candace Carrabus Rice were also nearby, and I was happy that I had time to chat with them and share a few memories and stories.

I'm looking forward to next year's event and meeting even more writers and readers. Hope to see you there too!

Candace Carrabus Rice

Games Writers Play: Tag, You're It

Earlier this week, Cathy C. Hall tagged me in a game called, "Tag, You're It!"

What fun! And how interesting.

The first thing I did was read Cathy's answers to the questions, and I sure did learn a lot about what she's working on and what got her started on her project!

Answering the questions also helped me focus on how I need to manage my time better and focus on my long-term goals rather than short-term ones.

So, here are my answers, and at the end of my answers I've tagged three other bloggers whose answers I would enjoy reading--and I think others would too.

Here goes:

What are you working on right now?

The long answer to that question is: At the beginning of 2013, after being a freelance book reviewer for about five years, I decided to switch gears and focus on my own writing. My checking account balance has dwindled, but my stress level from delivering so many reviews on deadline has also decreased.

One project in the works is the first-ever Coffee and Critique Anthology. I’m collecting and editing short stories and essays for an anthology showcasing works from members of Coffee and Critique, a writers’ group a friend and I started six years ago.

 

The elephant in my office is my self-imposed challenge to finish a first draft of a novel by the end of the year. I have two ideas in mind and am mulling over which project to tackle first. I dug out a rough outline and a synopsis for a paranormal thriller that’s been lying dormant in a works-in-progress file. I also have the beginnings of a YA paranormal mystery novel that keeps calling my name. Right now I’m leaning toward the paranormal thriller.

How does it differ from other works in the genre?

Probably the setting and characters. The action occurs in Missouri and Germany and has an international cast of characters—both good and evil.

The genesis for the story is: Several years ago I bought an antique rocking chair for an unbelievably low price at an estate sale in a rural area of Missouri. While I was bidding I wondered why local residents weren't outbidding me. Afterwards, the auctioneer told me I had gotten the deal of the day.  The idea that the chair was possessed – and not in a good way -- took off from there. I’ve sketched out some thoughts about where the story should go and have drafted a first chapter, but that’s as far as I’ve gotten.

Why do you write what you do? 

Now that I’m not writing book reviews, most of my time is spent writing personal essays and short fiction. Writing essays and short stories is a quick fix which satisfies my need to see my thoughts and imagination take shape on paper. Still, I want to stretch myself as a writer and finish a novel while I'm still vertical. 

What is the hardest part about writing?

Time. I never seem to have enough of it. I’m easily distracted and need to focus. What was the question? ;-)

Now it’s my turn to tag three writers. My picks are Sarah (the Practical Historian), Pat (Critter Alley), and Claudia Mundell. If you click on the links you’ll find their awesome blogs.

I hope they’ll agree to participate because I’d love to read their answers to the questions.

So tag, you’re it!

 

Announcing the Cupid's Quiver Anthology Release and A Healthy Heart Giveaway

February is a month for red, with love and flowers and hearts -- and giveaways.

In the love department, my romantic short story “The Promise of New Beginnings” is among the twelve stories in the just-released Cupid’s Quiver anthology. Oh, and flowers play a large part in my story.

What’s special about this anthology is that it includes stories from some of my writing friends and blogger buddies: Sioux Roslawski, Linda O’Connell, Pat Wahler, and Claudia Mundel to name a few. Cupid's Quiver is available on Amazon Kindle.

In the heart department, last week my sister Kathleen and I attended the Her Heart: Every Beat Counts seminar and luncheon, sponsored by SSM Health Care. It’s the third year we’ve attended the free event. The inspiring speakers included local cardiologists and a young mother who is a heart attack survivor. There were several vendors and lots of activities going on all morning. Lunch was tasty, and although I didn’t win a door prize, they looked fantastic.

While I was at the event, I picked up some handouts and promotional items. Rather than keeping everything for myself, I decided to have a giveaway so I could share them with one of my blog readers. The giveaways include a red-and-white bag to hold the goodies, two colorful pens for writing, a Go Red for Women pin to wear, a nail file to keep you sharp, and several pamphlets with educational information about women and heart disease.

For a chance to win the bag of heart-healthy writerly goodies, be sure to have a mailing address in the USA and leave a comment by February 22. I’ll pick one name at random and announce the winner’s name on Feb 25.  Good luck!

 

Today in St. Peters, MO: Chance of thunderstorms, high 75 degrees. Light rain this morning.

Here's some good news from Pat Wahler, a member of Saturday Writers, and a member of a critique group I belong to as well. Pat's true story "Canine Angel" is included in the just-released Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog.

Pat read her story one evening at our critique group. It is such a moving story, and Pat is a wonderful writer and supporter of dogs and other critters. Check out her Critter Alley blog if you get a chance. She posts about critters of all varieties, and occasionally posts call-outs for submissions about --- what else --- critters!

Way to go, Pat!