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President’s Page

OUR PREVIOUS/MOST RECENT MEETING

Information about our most recent meetings is available via a link on the “Welcome” page.  (To the left)

Visit the “Programs” page (to the left) to learn about our next meeting and other writer related events.

 

FROM THE PREZ

 

          If the year could be condensed into a day then I would say to all of you, “Good Afternoon.”

          It is back to school time, harvest time and craft fair time. Even though my garden got started a month late, it is finally producing beans, beets, zucchini, garlic and potatoes. The onions tapped out this year.

          I was hoping to have a speaker for our September meeting but as of this moment it doesn't look like she will be available. However, I may have a backup.

          A person in a green shirt

Description automatically generatedGetting back to craft fairs, I am hoping to partner with as many authors as possible in as many craft fairs as possible this year. So far I am signed up for three...there's like eight this year.

          Also, we have the catalog and the Christmas Anthology which are due by the middle of the month. Also, be mindful of the elections in November. Not just the national election but also our own Spokane Authors elections.

          As always, looking forward to seeing you all again. I hope you are all in good health and that everything is write in your world;) See you soon.

 

Carl/Nathaniel

The Prez.

 

FROM THE VEEP

 

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Description automatically generated          Here it is, almost the end of summer.  The cooler weather will allow us to spend more time hunched over the computer writing the next Great American Novel.  Yeah, sure, do you feel it?”  Me neither, but the keyboard calls and like the rest of we writers; we will answer, and clicking will be heard throughout the neighborhood.  Cool days will cause us to answer the keyboard call.  With cooler weather also comes the call for coffee, tea, or maybe a writer toddy.  Give me time and I’ll think of one that will enhance our writing… or so we think.  Can you tell I’m procrastinating and not addressing the Christmas Anthology?  Yes, I’ve thought of a title, Santa’s Christmas Shorts.  Now, that title should tweak the imagination!

          Our goal is to write or have twenty-four shorts: averaging three to four pages each, or seventy-two to ninety-six pages.  I feel the goal for us to have a good salable sized anthology would be to have 120 or so pages.  I think that is a nice size for a seasonal anthology.  Our drop-dead date (DDD) is October 11th.  That should give us time to edit and do the things that need to be done before it goes to the printer.  We need the book in hand prior to Thanksgiving and book selling and signing opportunities.

          For those of you who would like to get together and toss around ideas and maybe write a little, I talked to the County Library on Regal.  We can get a room with a white board and bust out and write about Christmas and Santa Clause.  I know you have a creative sense of humor, let it be free.  Show the world just how creative we can be.

 

Bob Manion

The Veep

 

FROM YOUR EDITOR, WEB-MASTER, TREASURER

 

          So far at least, I seem to be on a more normal schedule for sending out this issue of the newsletter.  Ideally, it’ll go out tomorrow, the last day of the previous month, or at the latest, Monday the 2nd of September.  Even that is well within the time frame I try to meet.

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Description automatically generated          It’s getting busy.  We have Arts and Craft fairs coming up that a lot of us will participate in as we try to sell some books.  We are also trying to put a catalog together to better promote our members’ books.  We are also pushing ahead with the idea of a Christmas themed anthology that hopefully will be ready for the public in time for the Christmas shopping season.

          If you want to have your books listed in the catalog, you need to be a paid member for 2024.  We’ve also asked that you review your book blurbs/descriptions and make sure they are short enough to fit within the catalog format.  (A good target would be between 50 and 70 words.)  The same goes for author bios, as we hope to include a short bio and picture of each of the authors listed in the catalog.  We’ve asked that you provide blurbs, bios, and dues no later than the 21 of September.  If bios and blurbs aren’t received, catalog “staff” will edit as needed to fit the page.  If dues for 2024 aren’t received by that date, no books for that member will be listed.

          As mentioned, we are also working on a Christmas themed anthology.  Our vice-president talks a little about it in his column.  We are basically looking for short stories ranging in length from 1500 to 3000 words or so.  (I don’t think we’d reject something at 1375 words, or something at 3035, but…)  Bob mentions a final submission date of October 11, but it has been suggested we should set an earlier deadline, perhaps around the middle of September, or to coincide with the catalog cut off date.  If one wants to write a Christmas based short story, they should be able to do so in that time frame, and we will need time to edit and format before publishing.

          So, in reference to our vice-president’s column, let’s find that magical writer’s toddy, take a sip, and get those keyboards clicking.

           

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FROM THE PREZ (Previous)

 

          Our president was unable to provide a message for this month’s edition.

 

FROM THE VEEP (Previous)

 

FEEDBACK

          How about Feedback?  You know, that mini conversation you may have about you or your work with a speaker or with someone who has influenced you.   Is there value there?  I would think so.  Maybe they saw or heard something that sticks in their memory, whether good or bad.  Maybe there is something you want to expand or change.  How do we know if we don’t listen to feedback?  Sometimes it appears negative when it wasn’t meant to be negative.  How are you supposed to know if you don’t listen or ask?

           “I’m busy! I don’t have time for feedback.”   A few minutes of listening may reveal a tidbit of information that will help you improve.  We can all use something to help us improve our work.  Let’s take a few minutes in our meetings to ask others what they think. Talk to the person sitting beside you.  Find out what interests them and provide a little something about yourself and your craft.  Writers let’s talk to each other.  Offer feedback and remember it can be positive.  It doesn’t have to be negative. When providing feedback, try to keep it on the positive side.  Writers are communicators, so communicate!  Smile!  Laugh a little.  Be outgoing.  Be yourselves.  Have fun!  We are fun people.

          I challenge you to write a piece like you were the President of SA or even me der VP.  Don’t shut down, take a bite out of your silence and jump in.  The laughter is fine, the grins and smiles welcome.  A step forward is always better than a step back, except off a platform thing, sort of…    
          Come on, let’s show our new members what we really are, smart, happy, full of life and adventure.

Bob Manion

The Veep  

 

FROM YOUR EDITOR, WEB-MASTER, TREASURER (Previous)

 

          Once again it seems I am waiting until the last moment to send out our newsletter.  I’m hoping to get it done and out to all of you later tonight or tomorrow (Monday) morning.  I might need to be more timely and direct when reminding folks about the submission deadline.  It is in fairly bold type on the inside of the front cover, but… And as I’ve mentioned, it is not a drop-dead deadline, but a target anyone wanting to have something included in the newsletter should shoot for.  Ideally, if you want to have something in the newsletter that won’t get here by the deadline, just give me a heads up and I’ll wait for it.  (To a point, of course, as I believe it is important that you all receive the newsletter in advance of our upcoming meetings.

          You might be aware that we are working on a catalog of books by our members.  Basic things to know about it, are that if you want to have your books included, you need to be a paid up Spokane Authors member for the 2024 calendar year.  We will have somewhere around forty authors, and up to 120 books listed.  In most cases, author bios, and book descriptions are a bit long for what we are trying to list.  If you can whittle your author bio and book descriptions down and send them to me, that would be great.  You can always check your member webpage to see what we currently have.  Lastly, if we do not have an author photo or headshot, we could use that as well.

          To see your member webpage, visit our website www.spokaneauthors.org and check out the MEMBERS page.  If you are not listed, it is because we show you as not being paid up for the current year.

Dave Mc

 

 

 

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Spokane Authors

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