Newsletter January 2006 Newsletter: PALM SPRINGS WRITERS GUILD NEWSLETTER January 2006 IN THIS ISSUE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 2 WRITING EVENTS 2 MEMBER PROFILE 3 SPEAKER REVIEW 3 THE CROWS NEST 4 INCORPORATION MOVES ON 4 CRITIQUE GROUPS 5 CRYPTO-WORD 5 JUST ASK 5 SPEAK OUT 6 SHORT STORY CONTEST enter now, enter often! WOW! $500.00 1ST Prize $250.00 2nd Prize $100.00 3rd Prize MEETING TIME: · Sunday: Jan. 8, 2006 2:00 to 4:00 pm Mizell Senior Center 480 So. Sunrise Way Palm Springs, CA · Sunday: Feb. 5, 2006 2:00 to 4:00 pm Palm Desert Library Community Room, 73300 Fred Waring Dr. Palm Desert, CA January Speaker KIMBERLEY CAMERON, Literary Agent, to give talk at Palm Springs Writers Guild on how to approach an agent, trends in the literary market, and script writing. About the speaker: Kimberley Cameron has been partners with Dorris Halsey of the Reece Halsey Agency since 1992. She opened Reece Halsey North in Tiburon, CA in 1995. The Reece Halsey Agency has been in existence since 1957, specializing in excellent writing. Aldous Huxley, William Faulkner, Upton Sinclair and Henry Miller have been among agency clients. Kimberley was a founding partner of Knightsbridge Publishing and developed books for motion pictures at MGM before becoming a literary agent. She specializes in finding new voices and has launched the careers of many, including Marc Giller, HAMMERJACK, Matthew Delaney, JINN, Michael Gellert, THE FATE OF AMERICA, Norman Gautreau, SEA ROOM (Winner of the Massachusetts Book Award) Phineas Mollod and Jason Tesauro, THE MODERN GENTLEMAN, and Agatha Award Winner Jeanne Dams, author of two mystery series. She represents mainstream and literary fiction, women's fiction, mysteries, horror and science fiction, and nonfiction in the genres of history, biography, self-help and science. She is a member of AAR has sponsored the Rupert Hughes Writing Award at the Maui Writer for the last ten years. (January 8th meeting is at Mizell Senior Center, 2 pm) ~ NEW MEETING LOCATION ~ Beginning in February we will have our regular meetings at the PALM DESERT LIBRARY in the Community Room. The first Sunday of each month from 2:00 to 4:00 PM will continue to be our schedule. MARK YOUR CALENDAR! PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE This is proving to be very busy time for your Guild Board Members. In between downing coffee at Borders Book Store, non-profit status is taking root, workshop Events are being plotted, the Short Story contest has been ignited and a new meeting location has been established. Well, not really new - more like a return home. As of the first Sunday in February, we will be meeting at the Palm Desert Library's Community Room. Same time, 2:00 to 4:00 PM. This will be a more central location for members. I would like to welcome the many new members that have joined us, and welcome back to returning members. What a great End of Year Social we had. Sorry some of you missed the affair. Suggestions came to me that we should have socials more often, such as, having lunch as a group. So why would we do such a thing? Well, as Melody Fleming says, LAUGHING MATTERS. It would be a Social time--and an informal venue for local celebrities who would like to share their experiences which have nothing to do with the writing craft. As Carol Mann brought up at a meeting, something said could trigger a great story idea. Aren't we always looking for fresh story ideas? Bob reminds us that our monthly meetings must focus on the writing craft. The speaker calendar is filled for the year, but what about those little extra luncheons? As an example: I received an e-mail from DeAnn Lubell regarding the U.S. ARMY POSTER GIRL of WWII, Margie Stewart. She would like to speak to the Guild. Is that exciting or what??? Oh-oh! Sorry, some Guild members are too young to remember Margie! Anyway, the only way the Guild can possibly know how members feel about anything proposed is to give us FEEDBACK! All Board telephone numbers and email addresses are in the GUILD GRAM. Speak out to us. Bill Clark 2006 WRITING EVENTS Free to members - watch for special mailing in February - pre-registering may be required because of venue space limitations. · CRITIQUE METHODS (1 session) · CRIBLETS Character and Story for novel and short story - how to bring in variety (2 sessions) · NEWSLETTER HOW-TO Pre-press methods and programs (3 sessions) · PLAY WRITING Formatting for stage, TV & big screen. (2 sessions) Scene, action & dialogue · BOOKMARK II Writing Seminar (10:00 AM to 4:00 PM) Membership interest determines the direction future Workshop Events will go. The Palm Desert Library has indicated an interest in a possible co-sponsorship of Writing Events in the future. What would you like to see happen? CONTEST TIME Annual Short Story Contest is now in motion. Stories must be in by April 15, 2006. Winners will be announced at the October, 2006 meeting. Jack and Marci Stillerman have graciously offered to chair the contest. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: (760) 346-7956 E-Mail: marciess@aol.com Olivia Lab CHILD OF THE FRONTIER A Mary Barrer Profile While children around the country were traveling to school either in a bus or in their parents' car, Olivia Lab took the trip in a horse drawn sled. Raised in a frontier, rural area of North Dakota with high snow banks blanketing the roads, the horse was much more reliable than the Fords of that era. Olivia writes about it in her latest book. After obtaining a degree and education credentials, Olivia moved to Montana where she taught high school music and English. Here she developed her flair for writing and found romance. Apartments were scarce during World War II. Olivia lived with a family in Culvertson, Montana where she was employed. One afternoon when she returned, the house was charged with excitement. One of the family members returned for a brief leave from the U.S. Air Force. It was love at first sight for Olivia and Walter. During his brief furlough, they dated for eight days and decided they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. However, the Air Force had different ideas. Walter had to return to duty. One year later they were married. Do whirlwind courtships last through the rigors of matrimony? The Labs will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary soon. Three children came into their lives while Walter worked as a high school art instructor. He continued higher education and obtained a Masters Degree from Montana State College in Bozeman, Mont. This led to professorships on the University level. During the summer months, he took students on art tours of Europe, always accompanied by Olivia. It was in Italy that Olivia found inspiration and an opportunity for research for her captivating novel, UNDER THE PORTICO, now in its third edition. Tragedy struck the family when their son succumbed to a fatal disease. Before he passed on he and Olivia wrote a book together, MY LIFE IN MY HANDS. Writing has become Olivia's passion that consumes her. Her next book, IMMIGRANTS MAKING IT IN AMERICA, is based on her twelve years of experience teaching immigrants English as a second language. A recent serious illness forced Walter to retire. He has made a slow but steady recovery with Olivia always at his side. However, she has found time to write and compile a book of short stores about the elderly that is fiction based on fact. She will sign copies of her book at Barnes and Noble on February 11 from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Perhaps her upbringing as a child of the frontier has prepared Olivia for the many serious challenges she has faced during her lifetime. She is a lady to be admired for her strength, determination and dedication. SPEAKER REVIEW Joanne Hardy The HoHoHo spirit abounded at the end-of-the-year Guild party. Nearly every table, decorated in red and green plus poinsettias, was filled with members in a festive mood, ready to sing, converse and of course, test the buffet. Special plaudits go to Mary Barrer, Bill and Mavis Clark and the board members, all of whom seem to have had job to do. One interesting task board members and others had, was to present a couple of skits. The plots on both were a bit fuzzy but the first seemed to be about eight reindeers that had a bad case of professional jealousy when a newly-employed amateur came on the job. The second one, very fuzzy plot indeed, appeared to be two teenagers reminiscing about a period in their childhood when they had had a period of voyeurism and caught Santa Claus in a -- well enough said! There was certainly nothing fuzzy about the next part of the program, when all board members joined President Bill Clark on stage. It was time to present the annual Buddy Award. The award went to Bob Hurlbert. Etched on the plaque were the words: "Original Palm Springs Writers' Guild Buddy Award, 2005, Robert Hurlbert, for Exceptional Service." The recognition was well earned and well deserved. The Buddy Award was created three years ago in memory of Buddy Kaye, who had given so generously of his time, talent and resources to the Guild. The Award focuses on what Kaye was particularly remembered for, service. The party moved on to singing Christmas songs, and listening to a tribute to John Denver performed by Judy Lunn. Judy is billed as "Nashville Recording Artist, Guitarist, 'Singing DJ.'" To keep the suspense alive there was a drawing for several prizes, an event which closed a lovely, spirited afternoon. Judy Lunn can be reached at 760-250-7917, or P. O. Box 14108, Palm Desert, Ca. 92255 or judysings@dc.rr.com The Crow's Nest By: Dodie Cross Here to crow this week is FRAN KAPLAN. She writes: "I'm crowing! The College of Extended Learning at California State University invited me to join the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the Palm Desert Campus. I'll be teaching a course on Women in Art from Madonna to Madonna, for six weeks, Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon, for their winter session starting January 12, 2006. It's part of my Get Smart with Art series I had created and produced in Chicago." OLIVIA KENNEDY LAB, another member, tells me she'll be signing her latest book, DILEMNA and Other Stories at Barnes & Noble at the Westfield Shopping Center, on Saturday, February 11th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Her book is a collection of amusing, bittersweet, and wise stories about the elderly in today's America, bringing a "new voice" in storytelling. The book looks at life in four segments: "An Old Woman Looks Back; The Half Life; Work, Lively Departure; and And so it Goes" Each story is preceded by a famous quotation revealing the theme. Olivia says that there are 38 to 40 million seniors in America and four thousand are 85 and older, yet, few fictional stories have been written about this important segment of our society. Please stop by her book-signing and give support to a very happy Guild member. She can be reached at: olivialab@aol.com Palm Desert Magazine asked our Guild member, LYNN SPREEN to write an article profiling Pamela Croce Turner, a jewelry designer and local philanthropist. Her article is due to be in the January issue which can be picked up at local newsstands or bookstores. They also asked Lynn to write two more articles for their March issue – lucky Lynn. Again I get to crow. Palm Desert Sun accepted my article on Thanksgiving Memories of the Iranian Revolution, which was published on Thanksgiving day. Kind of exciting, as they gave me a half-page spread. We all love to see our names in print. Got something to Crow about? E-mail me at: dodiecross@dc.rr.com Incorporation Moves Along Carol Mann The wheels of progress, sometimes slower than we like, do move forward. This is true for the Guild and the nonprofit incorporation process. The news is good. The name "Palm Springs Writers Guild" has been awarded to us. The Articles of Incorporation have been completed and filed. We have received facsimiles of the Articles and their certification by the office of Bruce McPherson, Secretary of State. Now we await the originals via Fedex. Next in the process is making application for a Federal Tax ID number (FEIN) and completing CA State and Federal Tax exemption applications. These next steps will also take time, but we are on course. This a very big advancement for our Guild from the kitchen of Shirley Hammer, where she, Sylvia Milsted and a few other ladies met to tell each other stories. LUNCHEON SOCIALS Monthly Luncheons will begin after the first of the year. Watch for announcments of time and place in next issue. IF FONDLING ONE'S MUSE IS ESSENTIAL TO A WRITER'S PROGRESS, I SUPPOSE WE COULD CALL IT USEFUL AMUSEMENT. Bob By Bob Hurlbert CRITIQUE GROUPS We all need help with our writing, and belonging to a critique group is an important tool to improve our work. The Palm Springs Writers Guild has created an e-mail address to help members join a critique group. E-mail your request to us (see address below); we'll do our best to put you in contact with a group, or help you form one. If you don't have e-mail, find an e-buddy to help you contact us. Phone calls are difficult to field, so we have elected to use electronic media to assist you with initial contact. In the Subject Box, indicate your specific critique genre interest, for example: Novel – Short Story – Poetry – Playwriting – Screenplay – or Non-specific. In the body of your message, provide your name and your desired meeting requirements – daytime hours, evening hours, specific days of the week, meeting locations, etc. The more information you give us in your message, the better we can assist. If you are currently a critique group leader, and can accept more members, please let us know by e-mail to the address below. We will need to know if your group is genre specific, when it meets, etc. If you are interested in leading a new critique group, let us know. We can provide guidance on critique group leadership. · E-mail to: pswgcritique@hotmail.com. This is a case-sensitive address. So that your server doesn't reject our reply, we advise that you add this address to your e-mail Address Book. A Game for the Guild As Treasurer (Bob Hurlbert), I'm always looking for new ways to fill the coffers. So, I will be introducing you to a new game – 50-50. Here's how it works: You buy tickets at the door – 5 tickets for $3 or 10 tickets for $5. The ticket halves go into a "hat." The drawing is held. The winning ticket gets half of the total dollars collected for the drawing; the other half goes into the Guild treasury. 100 tickets sold to ten people will get you at least $25. Not bad odds, and for a good cause. • Look for me at the door on January 8. Bob's CRYPTO-WORD P M M D A S R P A O D A Y ' U E C U Y P U Y U U Y A G P Z R G D Z Q F P G Y F ' U N F D O F Y U U, P U C N N D U Y Q Y H D C R S H Z R R P G C U Y M C R Z E C U Y E Y A G. Clue: Q equals W - find the solution somewhere in this issue. JUST ASK ... Q & A's by Staff Q How would you list the order of importance of the "Big Five?" A. There is no story without the "Big Five," Order of arrangement: location, action, character(s), behavior and last is a reaction. The first four must be in place before a story kick-off with some reaction(s). Then, what is the story all about? Q. What president never went to school until he was fourteen years old? A. Send your answer to PSnewsletter@aol.com and receive a SCHOLAR OF THE MONTH reward. LAST MONTH ANSWER (No winner) The man called in to find the exact location of the bullet in President James A. Garfield's body in 1881 was Alexander Graham Bell with his "Induction-balance" device, one of his many inventions. MODERN TECHNOLOGY. Imagine this, today a short novel of 60,000 words can be written in just a few two to three hour sessions! Two programs available that allow a writer to do so are Dragon Dictate and Via Voice. Both programs convert what is spoken into printed words. How fast can you talk? How many novels can you dictate in one week? Just something of interest in our changing world. SPEAK OUT Something to share with members? Let's hear about it. E-mail: PSnewsletter@aol.com Dear Bill and Fellow Members, I miss being with you and my thoughts are with you in Palm Springs at your Christmas party as well as throughout the year. Today, reminiscing about my years with the Palm Springs Writers Guild, it all began in the late '80s when Sylvia and Shirley (last names have deserted me) shared their homes and hearts to all who would walk through the door to greater personal growth in the literary world. I was such a novice then, but was welcomed into their midst as though I were the most famous published author on the planet. Now, you certainly realize how your encouragment motivates and inspires. You even nurtured me to translate my thoughts to the written word. And then, you gave me honorable mention for my 2003 short story, "Mary's New Clothes." My "diploma" hangs above me here as I write. Do you know what that did for me? It put me in the clouds; nevertheless, when my balloon deflated, I came back for more, because I realized I had only scratched the surface of your abundance to maybe third place winner. Because your unique manner is tradition, you continue to nurture those who seek the path for knowledge and opportunity. Workshops, seminars and critique groups take center stage when it comes to honing our craft as writers. But I'm 500 miles away now and alone. I must continue to remember your teaching in my daily pursuit of becoming a better writer. And I do. Because I write most of the time. My next confession will bring a smile to your faces. I live in a Seniors' 74-unit apartment building where my neighbors are elderly and compromised. I wanted to share my love of limericks with them, to get them out of their doldrums with my da-da-dums and the rules of the limerick, and when I asked for a show of hands, 10 responded. We meet twice a month, when I give the group a choice of topics. Everyone leaves the meeting with "homework" to write a limerick about the chosen scene. At the next meeting each person reads her limerick for group discussion. If she has a problem with the rhythm a round table offers solutions with strict adherence to the limerick formula. They have discovered their own hidden creativity, are having a ball and are buying blank greeting cards instead of the traditional birthday, special events, etc. What a revelation!! Watch out Hallmark!!! Thank you, Bill, for this opportunity to join you in spirit and written word instead of personal appearance. Stay in touch and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and Happy Holidays. With wonderful memories and much love, I remain your missing member, but in body only, Elm Battersby SARA LJUNGKULL resently took a playwriting workshop from Lisa Soland and she informs the Guild Gram that the award-winning playwright is bringing her Los Angeles based, All Original Playwright Workshop, to the Desert. The workshop is eight weeks, Saturdays, Jan. 7 - Feb. 25 from 10 am - 2 pm and is for playwrights, actors and directors. It focuses on the writing and producing of work and at the end of the session there is a full production that encompasses each participants work. Cost for the workshop is $300.00. For information Sara can be contacted at 772-8059 or visit LisaSoland.com. JIM DUGGINS has been pleased to learn that other Guild members have stepped up to the plate to handle the annual short story contest. We hope they begin early if they want to continue the recruitment of High School and Community College entrants. He told the newsletter, "I especially want to thank all the readers from last year. I found them objective, honest, and dependable, and hope they will volunteer to read again in 2006." As many of us, Jim is leaving the contest because of a surfeit of good news. Jim, who prefers to write historical novels (American West 1825-1875). He has just sent his agent, Julie Popkin of Pacific Palisades, his third novel and will have another finished before the contest begins. With any luck he will be busy promoting the books sold to publishers. Although he has written two nonfiction books, a half dozen individual chapters in books, and academic journal articles, these novels are his first ventures in fiction. CORRECTION: Steve Scott's book name: his new book is not "Red Cloud" as stated in the last newsleter. That was Steve's nickname in his earlier years. His new book is "CAFE RESPECT." PALM SPRINGS WRITERS GUILD Meetings are open to all writers. The Guild aims to nurture and promote the craft of writing. We meet on the first Sunday of each month. For more information regarding The Palm Springs Writers Guild, please contact a Board Member - see back cover. BOARD MEETING Open to all members. Contact a Board Member for information, often the Board will meet informally at Borders Book Store. Please feel free to join us and our brainstorming sessions that bring forth ideas to improve our Palm Springs Writers Guild. We are able to meet informally only until our incorporation has been finalized. Member input is very important at this pre-incorporation time. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS WRITTEN CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NEWSLETTER are welcomed, but subject to editing and possible delay in publication. Topics should be of interest to writers and content related to the Arts. Word count up to 600. Art and (or) photographs are accepted. · Bill Clark ----------------- President's Message · Joanne Hardy ----------- Speaker Review · Melody Fleming ------- Celebrity Interviews · Mary Barrer ------------- Member Profiles · Dodie Cross ------------- The Crows Nest · Board Members--------- Just Ask ... Q & A's GUILD GRAM newsletter Edited and produced by Board and Committee Members Palm Springs Writers Guild Board Renew Membership for 2006 or Become a Member guild membership - Invite a friend to join The Guild has open doors to aspiring and professional writers alike who have an interest in advancing their writing skills and the writing skill of others. It is a non-profit organization with roots in Palm Springs. In addition to meetings held once a month, various critique groups meet once a week to hone their skills. Membership dues: $40.00 per year ( JAN. TO DEC.) please print name __________________________________ telephone (______)__________________ address _________________________________ E-mail ___________________________ city __________________________________ state __________ zip _________________ Please include me in the GUILD MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY. Note: If this is not checked, your name will not appear. Only those included in the Directory may obtain a copy. ___YES send to: PALM SPRINGS WRITERS GUILD P.O. BOX 947, RANCHO MIRAGE, CA 92270 Officers - click here newsletter by Board and Committee Members PUBLISH * READINGS * WRITING CRITIQUES * MEETINGS * NEWSLETTER * CONTESTS * SPECIAL ACTIVITIES Palm Springs Writers Guild P.O. Box 947, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 stamp WEBSITE - Palmspringswritersguild.org ^ posted by Webmaster @ 12/26/2005 06:00:00 PM Pacific Time Powered by Blogger. |
