| JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JULY | AUG | SEPT | OCT |
| NOV | DEC |

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November Member News
   Robert C. Hagan, District 5, Goddard, author of Joint Eagles, was featured in the October 2003 Active Aging in an article “Life experiences provide inspiration for local authors.” Hagan retired in 1996 from Wolf Creek as a vice president of engineering. He used his experience in the nuclear field to devise his suspense novel about a nuclear terrorist threat. Hagan's book was released in January 2003 and has sold 500 copies. 11/23/03
   Leland Johnson , District 5, Wichita, had a letter to the editor printed in the October 24th Wichita Eagle under the heading “Look Beyond Landfill for Trash Solution.” Leland suggested ways to convert organic waste material into salable byproducts. 11/24/03
  Roxie Olmstead, District 5, Augusta, will have a fictional story “A Christmas Eve Expose” appearing in the next issue of Active Aging. 11/23/03
   George Schiller, District 5, Wichita, wrote a letter to the editor in favor of wind farms. “Harnessing Wind” was published in the October 17, 2003, Wichita Eagle. 11/24/03
   Ruth Stunz, District 5, Wichita, this year's winner of the Nelson Poetry Book Award for Contrails in the Wind had a book signing November 6th, at Delano Book Co, 1919 West Douglas, Wichita. 11/01/03
   Annette Wood, District 5, Wichita, recently had articles in Small Business
Opportunities, Start Your Own Business (2) and Capper's, as well as her regular column “How Does Your Garden Grow?” which appears on Sundays in “Active Life” in the Wichita Eagle. 11/24/03
   James D. Yoder, District 5, Hesston, signed and sold over 230 copies of his novels in October. He conducted three hours of lectures on Simone Weil, based on his book, Simone: A Saint for Outsiders, in a Sunday school class at Bethel College Mennonite Church. He also reviewed his novel A Branson Love (inspirational) in the Catacombs Class at the same church on October 19. Jim signed books at the Fall Fest in Arkansas City, October 24-25; in Emporia on November 8; and at the Burlington Christmas Fest on November 22. He will appear at a sale and signing sponsored by the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International on December 10 at the Lowell Elementary School in Winfield. 11/24/03

	November District News    Kansas Authors Club District 5 received the CityArts 2003 Arts Organization Award for outstanding contributions to the arts in Wichita and the surrounding area. Nancy Glenn, President, accepted the beautiful inscribed glass sculpture from Karg Glass on behalf of District 5 members. Several members attended the ArtsAwards event on October 17th: David Cloud, Roxie Olmstead, Cindy Ross, and Annette Wood. 11/01/03
Left to Right: Roxie Olmstead, Nancy Glenn, and Cindy Ross
Standing: Nancy Glenn Seated: Annette Wood, Cindy Ross, Roxie Olmstead and David Cloud

October Member News
   George W. Schiller, District 5, Wichita, had a letter to the editor titled "Sunflower Glory" published in the Wichita Eagle on Sept. 24. 10/01/03
   Annette Wood, District 5, Wichita, had an article, "Dreams of things to come--Tulips, daffodils ray of sunshine during winter months," published in the Oct. 2, 2003, Wichita Eagle, Active Life, How Does Your Garden Grow. 10/031/03

September Member News
   Dr. Harold Converse, District 5, Newton, was featured in an article in the September 2003 issue of Active Aging. It said when he agreed to help his wife Anne with a teddy bear tea party at a Newton art gallery, he didn't know he was going to become an author. But when he couldn't find a suitable story recounting the origins of the teddy bear–or a catchy tune to go with it–he decided to write his own. His daughter-in-law and granddaughter will present his book I'm a Little Teddy Bear (Grandview Gallery, 2000), offered along with a tape or CD of the book's signature music, at Botanica's Teddy Bear Picnic on September 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in Wichita. Guests are invited to bring their favorite bears to stroll along Botanica's Woodland Walk to visit teddy bears in whimsical settings and join in the fun. 9/4/03
   Toby Elster, District 5, Wichita, had a letter to the editor titled "Economics 101" published in the Wichita Eagle Sept. 2, 2003. 9/4/03
   Annette Wood, District 5, Wichita, had an article "Dazzling Dahlias Rowdy Riot of Color" published in Active Life, a supplement of The Wichita Eagle, on September 4, 2003. 9/4/03

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August District News
DISTRICT 5 WINS ARTS AWARD!
Kansas Authors Club District 5 has won the Wichita Arts Council Arts Award for 2003 for displaying consistent and exemplary support of the arts and humanities and providing arts opportunities in Wichita/Sedgwick County. The Award Banquet will be at Wichita City Arts on Friday, October 17, 2003. Our congratulations to District 5 for a job well done.

August Member News
   Roxie Olmstead, District 5, Augusta, had an article, "Some Hospitals Use Humor to Heal," published in the Fall 2003 issue of Brave Hearts. 8/15/03
   Annette Wood, District 5, Wichita, had an article "Sunny Faces of Summer" about sunflowers published in Active Life, a supplement to the Wichita Eagle, under How Does Your Garden Grow? on August 7, 2003. 8/15/03

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May District News
  At our May 10 meeting, District 5 Contest Winners were announced and winning entries were read. This was a good opportunity for attendees to hear what our members are writing and what type of writing appeals to the judges.
   Summer critique groups have been well attended in the past. Plans are being made for groups for poetry, fiction, non-fiction and children's writing this summer. Confirmation and details of date, time and place will be announced at a future date.

May Member News
   Toby Elster, District 5, Wichita had a letter "Use the public's language" published in the Oil & Gas Journal, March 31, 2003. 5/5/03
   Sam Majdi, District 5, Wichita, will sign copies of Lover's Paradise: Book of 222 Love Quotations, 7-9 p.m., Sunday, May 4, 2003, at Borders Book Store, 1715 N Rock Rd, Wichita. 5/2/03
   Raymond Nelson, District 5, Wichita, retired Dean of Language and Literature at Friends University, was nominated by Dorothy M. Ternes, District 5, Wichita, for the "Poets of the Plains" series compiled by Arlice Davenport of The Wichita Eagle in observance of National Poetry Month. Dorothy's letter, quoting from the title poem of Ray's book ...and the Kansas Wind Blows, appeared on Sunday, April 27, 2003, page 7E. 5/2/03
   Roxie Olmstead, District 5, Augusta, is published in the June 2003 Good Old Days Magazine. Her article "Looking Hollywood Way" is about the silent screen star Phyllis Haver. Roxie gives presentations on Haver. 5/9/03
   Ruth Stunz, District 5, Wichita, author of Contrails in the Wind, had a book-signing at Delano Book Co., Wichita, on Sunday, April 27, 2003 5/2/03
   Irma Wassall, District 5, Wichita, who received the Kansas Governor's Award for individual artistic achievement in the literary arts in April of 200l at age 93, was nominated by both Lee Streiff, Wichita, and Grace Becker, District 5, Wichita. Streiff quotes from Irma's poem "Zebra Sky." Grace mentions Irma's dedication to mentoring other aspiring writers. The "Poets of the Plains" series was compiled by Arlice Davenport of The Wichita Eagle in observance of National Poetry Month and appeared on Sunday, April 27, 2003, page 7E. http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/living/travel/5725035.htm
   Davenport particularly recommended B. H. Fairchild, who now lives in California but still writes about Kansas in his new book, Early Occult Memory Systems of the Lower Midwest, which recently won the National Book Critics Circle Award for 2003. Other Kansas poets mentioned were David Beard, Jeanine Hathaway, Michael Poage, and Jeff Worley. More letters will appear next week. 5/2/03
   Annette Wood, District 5, Wichita, had an article "Popular Peonies" published in the "How Does Your Garden Grow" section of Active Life, a Wichita Eagle supplement, on May 1, 2003. 5/2/03

April District News
   Mary Wacker, historical novelist, was speaker at our April 12 meeting. She spoke about her novel, Landmarks. This work was inspired by the author's grandfather, who left the Northeast during his early teen years and migrated to Kansas. Wacker describes areas where her grandfather worked to earn enough money to take him farther along the road to Kansas. Research on the cities of the era has enabled her to lend accurate historical details to her scenes.
   Coffin Award Entries were due to District President Nancy Glenn no later than May 1.

April Member News
   Harold Converse, District 5, Newton, author of How the Teddy Bear Got Its Name, and Robert Hagan, District 5, Goddard, author of Joint Eagles, have recently been added to the local shelves at Delano Book Company.
   Local writers are encouraged to get their books to Delano Book Company so they can be available to the public! Contact Nancy Glenn, nancyglenn@cox.net, for more information and to schedule a book signing! What a great help in promoting and marketing your books. 4/16/03
   Cynthia Ross, District 5, Towanda, will be giving a first person characterization, in costume, of Gene Stratton-Porter at the Clearwater Public Library, Thursday, April 24th at 6:30 pm. Along with the presentation there will be a book display of Gene's books written in the early 1900s, such as Freckles, Girl of the Limberlost, The Keeper of the Bees, and many more. Gene was not only an author, but also a poet, naturalist, and photographer.
   Please contact Cynthia if you'd be interested in booking a performance in your town. Her address is different than what is listed in the KAC yearbook due to a recent move: Cynthia Ross, 11464 SW 48th Terrace, Towanda, KS 67144-927, phone # 316-778-1619,
birdwoman@powwwer.net 4/16/03
    James Yoder, District 5, Hesston, has a new book A Branson Love: An Ozark Romance recently released by St. Kitts Publishing. 4/16/03
   Margory Bassett is chair of the literary committee of the National Arts Club in New York. Her book, Never Say Stark Naked, ISBN 1-56649-246-7. Publisher Contact: Chuck Kim, Welcome Rain Publishers, 23 W 26th Street, New York, NY 10010. 4/16/03
    Annette Wood, District 5, Wichita, had two articles published in the April 7th Active Life, a supplement of The Wichita Eagle. "Diagnosis: Write a Book" was about the non-fiction book From House Calls to High-Tech: Memoirs of a 20th Century Woman Doctor by Doris Griffin North. "Perfect Vegetable for Spring: Asparagus," which appeared in the “How Does Your Garden Grow?” section, spoke of the planting, tending, and use of the hardy perennial. 4/10/03

March District News: The March meeting featured a Poetry Panel with members reading.

March Member News
   Roxie Olmstead, State Financial Secretary, District 5, Augusta, was featured in the Wichita Eagle on December 26, 2002, in an article about her research and writing for a Butler County annual contest. She has had several articles published recently. “The Old Swimming Hole” (nostalgia) appears on the Kansas Natural Resource Council's home page. “Motivation Came from Afar” (Inspirational) was published in Brave Hearts, Winter 2002. “The Day the Washer Took a Hike” (nostalgia) appeared in Mature Living, January 2003. “Generation Gorge” (humor) was published in Citizens in America, February 2003. 3/1/03
    Annette Wood, District 5, Wichita, had an article published in Active Life (a supplement of The Wichita Eagle), March 3, 2003. "It's Almost Time to Plant Potatoes" appeared in the section titled How Does Your Garden Grow? "Have you planted your potatoes crop yet? If you're like Gail and Clyde Martin, you'll wait until St. Patrick's Day to start your planting. Last year, after waiting for the right conditions—not too muddy or too cold—the Martins planted 200 pounds of potatoes. They harvested 1,500 pounds, some to eat and the rest to sell at the local Farmers' Markets." Gail Martin, District 5, reports that they just enjoyed some of their delicious Yukon Gold hashbrowns for breakfast this morning. 3/18/03

February Member News
   Nancy Glenn, District 5 President, Wichita, has recently opened Delano Book Co., a bookstore for new, used, and unexpected books, at 1019 W. Douglas, Wichita. Nancy will feature readings and signings in her local author section. Call 316-263-8336 to schedule. 2/21/03

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Recommended Reading
District 5 recommends Never Say Stark Naked, ISBN 1-56649-246-7, a serio-comic novel, by Marjory Bassett, a former member of Kansas Authors Club District 5, 1951 through 1954, and president of District 5 in 1953. Marjory is a friend of Irma Wassall, District 5. Marjory lived in Wichita before moving to New York City in the 1950s. She is now chair of the literary committee of the National Arts Club. Her novel is published by Welcome Rain Publishers: NY

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