Missouri Resources, a Free Magazine with Resources for Writers

Image from the Missouri Resources magazine

Timing is everything, and this week the Fall 2016 issue of Missouri Resources magazine arrived in my e-mail box while I was in the middle of doing rewrites for a historical short story that features a teenage Sam Clemens. (Notice the subtle way I gave a writerly excuse for not posting on my blog for several weeks?)

Image from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Back to the magazine: Published by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the free magazine is filled with interesting facts, figures, and photos.

As a Missouri writer, I'm always searching for interesting tidbits about the "Show Me State" to weave into my writing or give me inspiration for a story or an article. And, as luck would have it, the fall 2016 issue includes the article "A Magical Tour on US 36."  US Highway 36 runs across the top third of northern Missouri and has been dubbed "The Highway of American Genius" because of some of the raw American talent with roots across that stretch of land. 

The "A Magical Tour on US 36" article features phots of the birthplaces or childhood homes of famous Missourians, including Samuel L. Clemens (aka Mark Twain) in Florida, MO; Walt Disney in Marceline, and General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing in Laclede.

Being a native St. Louisian, I also found the article "The Bricks that Built St. Louis," fascinating. This issue also includes a really cool photo from 1904, the year St. Louis hosted the World's Fair. The "Time Exposures" photo was taken in front of a shoe store in Old North St. Louis, which is the neighborhood where I was born and grew up, so that got my attention.

Did I mention the Missouri Resources magazine is free? Click here to read the latest issue.

A word of warning, reading this magazine can cause a writer to get lost in the fascinating articles and research material.

Spring Cleaning for a Good Cause

I'm looking forward to this Saturday's free Unbound Book Festival in Columbia.

It's well worth the just-under 100-mile drive to the event on the campus of Stephens College.

The line up of events and speakers for the April 23 festival is impressive. What's more impressive is that the event is free.

Alex George, festival founder and director, and his volunteers have worked tirelessly to organize the event and obtain sponsors and write grants to put on the festival. Here's a link to his interview with Jane Henderson of the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

Although the event is free, festival organizers ask that attendees please donate gently-used books and deposit them in the  bins which will be placed outside the doors of the meeting rooms. The books will then be distributed throughout the Columbia area to people who love to read but might not be able to afford to buy books.

My bag of books is sitting next to my front door ready to be put in my car.

To me, it's a triple benefit. I get to do some spring cleaning, attend a free festival where I can learn from some amazing writers, and pass on some good books to other readers.

How great is that?