Newsletter of the Society of Southwestern Authors           Vol. 36, No. 6 Dec. '08./Jan. '09

 



Upcoming Events

   December 13
Arizona Mystery Writers @10-20PM
HomeTown Buffet, River and Oracle
Jerry Simmons, "Understanding the Marketplace"
$12 or $5 if you don't want lunch.

   December 21
Forum @11:30-2PM
Four Points Sheraton
Readers Theater
"Christmas Mystery Play, Love Potion"
(see article this page)

   January 11
Website Workshop @11-3:30PM
Four Points Sheraton
Matt Marine, Robert Hunton, Carolyn Harris
"How to Develop a Presence on the Internet"

   January 18
Forum @11:30-2PM
Four Points Sheraton
Virginia Nosky
"Pros and Cons of a Small Publishing House"
(see article this page)

   January 10
Arizona Mystery Writers @10-20PM
HomeTown Buffet, River and Oracle
Jude Johnson, "Self-Publishing (print and non-print)"
$12 or $5 if you don't want lunch.

   Future Forums:
February 15: Donis Casey - "One Secret I Wish Someone Had Told Me"

March 15: Maralys Wills - "Killery Query & Snappy Synopsis Damn the Rejections, Full Speed Ahead"

April 19: Jennifer Lee Carroll - "TBA - Best Selling Nuggets"

May 17: David Ray - "Writers and Editors: The Relationship"


To R.S.V.P. Forum
Leave Phone Message
at 546-9382
or e-mail: forums@ssa-az.org WEDNESDAY before the Forum
$20 paid at the door


Love Potion at the December Forum

by Carol Costa
   To celebrate the holiday season with our SSA friends, the December forum will feature a presentation of a one-act play, The Love Potion. This play, written by Carol Costa, will be performed by members of the SSA Board of Directors and some special guests.   

A cup of tea laced with a magic potion starts all the fun in this delightful comedy about love and friendship. As Christmas approaches, a mischievous young woman uses a love potion on unsuspecting people and things get more complicated and more humorous. With most of the adults in a rose-colored frenzy, two children must try to discover the secret of the love potion and use it to bring about a happy ending.   

Don't miss performances by Chris Stern, Dewanne Hopson, Jude Johnson, Mary Ellen Thompson, and Sam Turner.   

If you've never attended a Readers Theater this is your chance to experience a unique mode of entertainment and learn how to develop characters and tell a compelling story with dialogue alone.   

Carol will be happy to answer questions and discuss the play after the performance.


Pros and Cons of a Small Publishing House

   Every writer dreams their work will be published by a big New York house, but everyone knows the competition is fierce. Having an agent is not guaranteed entry through the front doors of Random House. One option authors have today is to consider a small regional publisher. On January 18, 2009, Virginia Nosky will share her experiences on making that choice: what worked, what didn't, and Love Potion at the December Forum what advantages and disadvantages a small publishing house has.   

Virginia Nosky's most recent book, Blue Turquoise, White Shell, won the 2008 Independent Publishers IPPY Gold Medal for Multicultural Fiction, International Competition, as well as first place Glyph trophies from the Arizona Book Publishing Association's 2008 Competition. She is published through Treble Heart Books of Sierra Vista, Arizona.




Successes

Dale Adams' "Tits Are Blue" will be published in the '09 winter issue of Range Magazine. A story of two young cowboys, caught in a violent thunderstorm, magically survive a deadly series of lightning strikes.

Peter Baird's new book, Protecting Moscow From the Soviets, was published by National Writers Books, Inc. It is a collection of his pieces published by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, Mens Health, The Chicago Tribune Magazine, Phoenix Magazine, The Arizona Republic, The Cleveland Plain Dealer Magazine, Simon & Schuster, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Black Dog & Leventhal and myriad other newspapers, magazines, and publishers. Also, the Phoenix Public Television Station, KAET, will air Ron Carlson's interview with Peter about his novel, Beyond Peleliu, on his show, "Books & Co.," that will air on April 27 at 4:00pm. Although KAET covers 85% of Arizona, it does not reach the Tucson market.

E.W. Bonadio's new fiction novel, The Masada Stones, has just been released through iUniverse. A historical based adventure/mystery, his fifth published book, coincides with a recent 1st place finish in a short story contest titled "Ghost Story." The Ghost of Merrick Mansion will post on October 13th at the ezine, www. moonlitpath.com.

Jan Cleere's book, Amazing Girls of Arizona, was a Finalist in the young adult non-fiction category of the National Best Books 2008 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News. "What a great way to start the week!"

Jean Gietzen has a new edition of an old book out from Xulon Press. The book is entitled A People Set Apart and contains some of the original work as well as a new piece or two. Church members engaged in Bible studies will appreciate this lighter look at Gospel events and characters. The publication of the book celebrates it's 25th anniversary.

E. J. McGill's non-fiction book, Black Tuesday Over Namsi, A True History of the Epic Air Battle of the Korean War is now available from Heritage Books (800-876-6103 or HeritageBooks.com) for $27 plus shipping.
Over seven years in writing, Black Tuesday over Namsi chronicles the calamitous B-29 daylight bombing mission flown by the 307th Bombardment Wing on 23 October 1951 against Namsi Airfield. What many experts consider the epic air battle of the Korean War and perhaps the greatest jet engagement in the history of aerial warfare has largely become another forgotten battle in a forgotten war. Here, McGill presents the facts and circumstances of the mission from first briefing to final landing. The book records, from verifiable historical documents, the broader events and conditions that led up to the confrontation, plus the first-hand accounts of aircrew members and ground personnel who were there. Both the Allied and the Soviet perspectives are examined; statements made by MiG pilots describe the attack; and eyewitnesses to the event have supplied never before published photographs of the mission and its aftermath, including the aerial photo of the Namsi Airfield that was used to plan the mission. This thoroughly researched narrative history is enhanced by numerous photographs, a bibliography, and an index to full names, places and subjects.
In an e-mail message to the author, a mission survivor had this to say: "[Black Tuesday Over Namsi] is great, not only well written, but also accurate and realistic. You provided a lot of information I never knew and I was there. Your decision to include the story as told by the Russian pilots was a great touch and strengthens the credibility . . . [the book] will provide a fit and lasting memorial to those who did not survive the mission. Thanks for telling the story," Dewell Turner (left gunner on Baker Three.)

Sheri McGuinn's book, Running Away, was chosen as an Honorable Mention in the Writer's Digest 16th Annual International Self-Published Book Awards in the Middle-Grade/ Young Adult Books category. Her book will be promoted in the March/ April issue of Writer's Digest. Allan Meyer is now writing a monthly column for The Oracle - Oracle Arizona's "award-winning voice of the high desert." The column, titled "just a thought," is taken from his nonfiction book, Right and Wrong-A Useful Fiction. The book has been reviewed both nationally and locally, and is currently being read on KBRP, Bisbee. Allan will read from it Dec. 1, 9 am, at the Oro Valley Public Library. He says, "Last year, the book paid my light bill and tripled my friend count; my great thanks to SSA."

Pinkie Paranya, award-winning author of six published novels, has added two new romantic suspense in e-book and print. Secrets of Sebastian Beaumont and Tasmanian Rainbow, both published by Wild Rose Press. Her psychological, paranormal suspense, One . . . Two . . . Buckle My Shoe, from Treble Heart Publishing has garnered many excellent reviews. Check out her website at http://pinkieparanya. com.

Betty Webb, author of Desert Cut, Desert Run, Desert Shadows, Desert Wives: Polygamy Can Be Murder, and Desert Noir, all by Poisoned Pen Press has a new release.
"Eyepopping," The New York Times.
"Socially conscious mysteries," Publishers Weekly.
Coming Nov. '08, a traditional mystery series, beginning with The Anteater of Death. www.bettywebb-mystery.com and www.bettywebb-zoomystery.com




The Write Word
published bi-monthly by the Board of Directors
of The Society of Southwestern Authors
P.O. Box 30355, Tucson, AZ 85751

President
TBA

Vice-President
Jude Johnson: judejb@comcast.net

Treasurer
Carol Costa: starlit@theriver.com

Recording Secretary
Carroll Rinehart: crine24@msn.com

Member Chair
Penny Porter: wporter202@aol.com

Corresponding Secretary
Jane Eppinga: Eppinga8@aol.com

Conference Co-Chair
Penny Porter: wporter202@aol.com
Barbara Stahura: Barbara@BarbaraStahura.com

Writer's Contest
Mary Ann Hutchison: douglashutchison@comcast.net

Forum Program Chair
Jude Johnson: judejb@comcast.net

Welcoming Committee
Ashleen O-Gaea: O.Gaea_Writes@Comcast.net

Members at Large
Dewanne Hopson: RomeTucSan@aol.com

Mentoring Groups
Sam Turner: clearskys@cox.net

Write Word Editor
Mike Rom: (520) 410-1294 (beep)
e-mail: writeword@ssa-az.org


SSA Home Page:

http://www.ssa-az.org

Webmaster
Mike Rom: (520) 410-1294 (beep)
writeword@ssa-az.org

NOTE: Deadline for next issue is the 15th day of January