Newsletter of the Society of Southwestern Authors
Vol. 34, No. 4 August/September '06
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Upcoming Events
August 20
Forum @11:30-2PM
Sheraton Four Points
Molly E. Holzschlag,
" Writers Being Real on the Web"
(see article)
September 17
Forum @11:30-2PM
Sheraton Four Points
Nancy Linnon, Fenton Johnson, Claire Gerus,
"Truth-Telling in Personal Nonfiction"
(see article)
To R.S.V.P. Forum
Leave Phone Message
at 546-9382
before noon the
Wed. before the Forum
$20 paid at the door
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Writers Being Real on the Web
Our August Speaker, Molly E. Holzschlag, is a well-known Web standards advocate, instructor, and author with over 25 Web development book titles to her credit. She wrote the very popular column, "Integrated Design," for Web Techniques Magazine for the last three years of its life, and spent a year as Executive Editor of WebReview.com. She is Group Lead for the Web Standards Project (WaSP) and an invited expert to the HTML and GEO working groups at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Via each of these roles, Molly works to educate designers and developers on using Web technologies in practical ways to create highly sustainable, maintainable, accessible, interactive and beautiful Web sites for the global community.
Among her thirty-plus books is The Zen of CSS Design, co-authored with Dave Shea. The book artfully showcases the most progressive csszengarden.com designs. A popular and colorful individual, Molly has a particular passion for people, blogs, and the use of technology for social progress.
Some of the topics she will be covering:
• Transparency vs. Authenticity: Writers Being Real on the Web
• Blogs and how they can help writers reach their target audience
• Emerging tech such as RSS and pingbacks that can help broaden scope
• Resources of value to writers, and anyone working on the web
Don't miss this terrific opportunity to discover how to make your Website stand out from the crowd.
Truth-Telling in Personal Nonfiction
Two authors and an agent will discuss the subject of telling the truth when writing memoir, personal essays, and creative nonfiction. Join us for a lively look at an important topic for all writers. The members of our panel are:
Fenton Johnson is the author of two novels, Crossing the River (1989) and Scissors, Paper, Rock (1993), as well as Geography of the Heart: A Memoir (1996) and Keeping Faith: A Skeptic's Journey among Christian and Buddhist Monks (2003). Johnson has contributed to Harper's Magazine, the New York Times Magazine, and many literary quarterlies, and has received numerous literary awards. He is associate professor of creative writing at the University of Arizona. For additional information on Johnson, visit www.fentonjohnson.com.
Claire Gerus has been editor-in-chief of two publishing houses, worked for eight major publishers, including Harlequin, Rodale, Random House and Doubleday, John Wiley, Kensington, and Adams, and taught communications skills to such clients as IBM, Kellogg, Mutual of Omaha, and Procter & Gamble. In 1996, she established a thriving business as a New York literary agent, selling books on business, history, memoirs, religion, health, spirituality, psychology, politics, pop culture, and women's studies. Today, she lives in Tucson, where she advises authors on how to get published.
Nancy Linnon writes personal essays on sensitive topics. "Postpartum" links her struggle with postpartum depression to Andrea Yates, a mother who drowned her five children. She's published in Creative Nonfiction, Yoga International, Mothering, the Los Angeles Review, Rage and Reconciliation (SMU Press, 2006), and A Land Full of Stories (Utah Press, forthcoming).
(NOTE ON FORUMS: NO CREDIT CARDS-
processing fees are too high,
we do not make a profit on the luncheons-
what you pay is what the hotel charges us.
Also, if you R.S.V.P. please attend-SSA pays full fee if you don't!)
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Successes
Vera Marie (Bunny) Badertscher was presented with a first place award for travel writing by The National Federation of Press Women. Her submission consisted of two articles, "Mozart in Salzburg" for Steinway & Sons magazine and "Monteleone Hotel" (New Orleans) for AAA Hoosier Home & Away. In 2002 and 2004 she won first place national awards for web articles, but this is her first national award for print articles. She credits SSA member Barbara Stahura for helping her find the Steinway market for the Mozart article.
Eileen Birin recorded and produced an audiobook based on her PowerPoint presentation "Let's Get Published: a look at self-publishing TODAY!" In this user-friendly CD, Eileen explores the wide variety of publishing options available, including commercial publishers, subsidy and vanity presses, self-publishing, print-on-demand, and e-booksÐwhat's the difference, and why self-publishing is easier, faster and more affordable today.
Eileen also offers some practical facts and helpful tips to prepare you for any publishing venture. A double-sided colored flyer accompanies the CD to help you follow along and take notes. For more information on "Let's Get Published," contact Neelie Publishing at neeliepubl@aol.com
Jane Eppinga had an article on Pearl Buck in the August 2006 issue of The Writer. The year 2006 is the 75th anniversary of the publication of The Good Earth for which Buck received the Pulitzer Prize and ultimately the Nobel Prize. Eppinga's book Apache Junction and the Superstition Mountains was also released in July by Arcadia Publishing.
J. A. Jance's new book, Dead Wrong, went on sale July 25. "Yes, the election happens, and yes, Joanna wins. After all this is a series! And yes, Joanna has her baby. Finally! But don't expect me to tell you if the baby is a boy or a girl. I want you to buy the book."
Please check her tour schedule on www.jajance.com. "If I'm not coming to a bookstore near you and you want an autographed copy, please feel free to contact one of the stores where I am making an appearance. They should be able to make arrangements to have me sign a copy so it can be signed prior to shipping it to you."
Ralph W. Kiesling has a newly published Sci Fi Book, Voyage of The Prairie Falcon--it came out June 16. He has two other published books, one a Children's book, Santa's New Boots, and the other a book of poetry, Reflections. He expects to have another children's book, How Santa Knows, published by October.
Rebecca McEldowney's dark comedy of cosmic proportions, Guardian Devils, was published by Windstorm Creative LLCÐ"Finally, the religious left talks back."
Ferdy is a bumbling devil with a cushy assignment: Stop Episcopal Bishop Monica Laparro from becoming a saint. Then Monica receives the Stigmata--and national attention.
Adelaide Siren is Monica's long time friend, a playwright so driven to excel that even her blood type is A. Her envy for Monica's fame is driving her to murderÐor at least her next Tony.
Can Ferdy stop Adelaide from doing something stupid? Of course not.
It's no wonder Ferdy's boss wants to eat him.
"Warm, funny, and hardly heretical. C. S. Lewis, only more hip."
Jonathan Miller's new novel, Volcano Verdict, hits the shelves on September 30. Jonathan's last two books, Crater County and Amarillo in August, were on the 2004 Tucson Library Master List of Southwester Books of the year. The Chief Judge of Albuquerque's Metropolitan Court already called Volcano "immensely entertaining." An accused armed robber in Albuquerque's Metropolitan Detention Center told Jonathan "Hey Man, all the guys in Cellblock F4 love your books!" Jonathan hopes to come out to Tucson in November.
Sharon Poppen's serial Western/Romance, "Hannah," was picked up by a new website called Virtual Tales (www.virtualtales.com). The main character is a female "Lone Ranger" righting some wrongs in Texas in the 1880s.
Virtual Tales spoon-feeds the story to your e-mail address in 1,500-2,500 word installments.
"I love this opportunity for a couple of reasons. One, I get my story out to the public at no cost to me. They provide editing, artwork and publicity at no cost to the author. They make their money by sharing the subscription price with the author. Second, it keeps me writing everyday. My subscribers get an issue every Tuesday and Friday, so I'm constantly getting Hannah into some sort of peril only to leave her hanging until the next episode. My readers love the concept and tell me they look forward to each new episode arriving in their email."
Lynn Wiese Sneyd collaborated with David Russell, Ph.D., MFA on the book Healthy Solutions: A Guide to Simple Healing and Healthy Wisdom, which was released in June by Basic Health Publications. Divided into thee sections, the book addresses the nature of health, provides teachings and therapies for a multitude of common health ailments, and explores the therapeutic aspects of food. David Russell has practiced and taught Classical medicine disciplines (Ayurveda, Chinese, Tibetan and Islamic medicines, and homeopathy), as well as spiritual psychology for over 30 years in Europe, the United States, and Nepal. Wiese Sneyd was the editor of the text and wrote the book proposal.
David will conduct a workshop called "Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science: Classical Medicine's Approach to Consciousness and Health" at Pocket Sanctuary (www.pocketsanctuary.com) on Saturday, September 9, 8:30 amÐ5:30 pm, $115. To order their book or for more info. call the Russell Public Affairs Group at 575-8302 or go to www.davidnrussell.com
Barbara Stahura's personal essay titled "How My Husband Came Back" was recently published in the My Turn Online section of Newsweek.com. It's one of several essays she's written about her husband's recovery from traumatic brain injury. It can be read at www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13618862/site/newsweek.
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