Writing and Sharing Opportunities for Kansas Authors Club members

News for All Members

Amazon gives in to pricing control demands of Macmillan concerning E-books. NYTimes, February 1, 2010

Trudy McFarland, District 1, Topeka, 84, died on January 22, 2009. A native Topekan, Trudy was a good friend of Kansas Authors Club, attwnding the 2009 KAC Convention in Topeka in October, 2009, where she provided Ad Astra centerpieces for the banquet and shared them as door prizes at the end of the evening. Trudy majored in journalism in college and was an avid writer. Her story of her mother, Diary of a German War Bride, received the 2006 J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award of KAC and was recognized in Pen Woman, the national publication of NLAPW. Trudy was also active in the Write Stuff, a Topeka writers group. Her obituary appears in the Topeka Capital-Journal. 1/24/2010

Lily Angle, District 5, Augusta, passed away on Sunday, January 10, 2010. Lily was a long-time member of KAC and won our "Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2003. Memorial contributions honoring Lily may be sent to Kansas Authors Club, P.O. Box 296, Kechi, KS, 67067. Her funeral was held on January 13, 2010, at University United Methodist Church, Wichita. Burial is at Maple Grove Cemetery, Wichita. Lily's obituary can be read at the Wichita Eagle web site. 1/12/2010

Nominate a book for the Kansas Notable Books List. Kansas Center for the Book, a division of the Kansas State Library, will be accepting submissions of books published in 2009 for the 2010 Kansas Notable Books List until January 31, 2010. For more information contact Roy Bird, KCB Director, or visit the Kansas Center for the Book web site. 12/15/2009

Stephanie A. Mann, District 5, Wichita, author of Supremacy and Survival: How Catholics Endured the English Reformation, will travel to Birmingham, Alabama, to appear on “EWTN Live” on Wednesday, January 27, 2010, at 7 p.m. CST. Before returning to Wichita , she will also tape an interview on “EWTN Bookmark” to be broadcast later on the international cable network. Also, her article “In the Shadow of Tyburn Tree: Who were the Martyrs of England and Wales” is the cover story in the January/February, 2010, issue of The Catholic Answer magazine. 12/18/2009

2009 is the bicentennial of the birth of Edgar Allan Poe. A nice newspaper article on Poe's legacy, including a slide show of artifacts from the Poe Museum, is available: "For Poe, This Has Been the Year to Die For," by Edward Rothstein. NYTimes, December 1, 2009

The Family Next Door, by D3 Night Writers

District #3 of the Kansas Authors Club is having a fund raising project to help defray the costs of the writers' convention to be held in Coffeyville in October 2011. Members of District #3 and the Nightwriters writing group in Coffeyville have written a collection of 19 stories by authors including Ursula Turner, Frankie Roland, Ruth Ames, Margie Marang, Carol Murphy, Louise Click, Mary (Pinkie) Atkinson and Grant Williams. The Family Next Door tells stories about famous people of Southeast Kansas. Books cost $7.00 each, and all proceeds go to District #3 toward convention expenses. Contact any District 3 member about purchasing copies. 11/18/2009

William J. Karnowski, District 4, Wamego, is pleased to announce the winners of the Karnowski Youth Poetry Contest. The awards will be presented at the Sunday noon awards ceremony of the Kansas Authors Club convention in Topeka, October 18, 2009.

First place: Jessica Renzelman, 14 year old, from District One for her poem "Them." She will receive an award certificate and a check for $100.00.
Second place: Jake Johnson, 16 year old, from District Six, for his poem "A Hunter's Morning." He will receive an award certificate and a check for $50.00.
Third place: Jama Gleue, 9 year old, from District Four for the poem "Hide and Seek." Jama will receive an award certificate and a check for $25.00.

Karnowski reports that the quality of the poems was fantastic! He thanks the District Vice Presidents for their work in judging the entries from their areas. 10/3/2009

KAC writing talent teamed with Varney's Book Store, Manhattan, on "Poets & Perk" October 28, 2009. Poets Grant Williams, District 3, Arkansas City; Peg Nichols, District 2, Olathe; and Ann Everett, District 5, Wichita, signed books. Coffee was provided by Bluestem Bistro. We encourage you to support this new event series with your attendance. If you are interested in being featured at a future authors' event at Varney's, contact Rik Tanos, KAC publicity chair, District 3, Coffeyville. 11/18/2009

Justice Dept. Criticizes Latest Google Book Deal, by Miguel Helft. While the Justice Department did not explicitly urge a rejection of the deal, its opposition on copyright, class action and antitrust grounds is a setback for Google. NYTimes, February 4, 2010
E-Book Fans Keep Format in Spotlight, by Brad Stone. Book sellers are making the case that people are reading more because of e-books. NYTimes, October, 21, 2009
Before Choosing an E-Book, Pondering the Format, by Peter Wayner. The options are proliferating quickly for readers and the authors they love. NYTimes, September 23, 2009
A Library to Last Forever Google's books project is a win-win for authors, publishers and Google, but the real winners are readers, who will have access to an expanded world of books. —an op-ed by Sergey Brin, co-founder and technology president of Google. NYTimes, 10/9/2009
Will Books Be Napsterized? E-book hardware is on the verge of going mainstream. NYTimes, 19/4/2009
Copyright Office Assails Google's Settlement on Digital Books In testimony before a House panel, Marybeth Peters, the Register of Copyrights, said the deal circumvented copyright law and could harm authors. NYTimes, 9/11/2009
European Opposition Mounts Against Google's Selling Digitzed Books
The settlement would permit Americans to buy online access to millions of books by European authors whose works were scanned by Google at American libraries. NYTImes, 8/24/2009
Google Rivals Will Oppose Book Settlement
Amazon, Microsoft and Yahoo are planning to join a coalition of nonprofit groups, individuals and library associations to oppose a proposed class-action settlement giving Google the rights to commercialize digital copies of millions of books. NYTimes, 8/21/2009
Google's big plan for books NYTimes, 7/31/2009

KAC Newsletter, August 2009 Download as a PDF file

Monday evening August 17, 2009, Albert Goldbarth--the Adelle V. Davis distinguished professor of humanities at Wichita State University, the only two-time winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, and most recently, the winner of the Mark Twain Prize for Humor from the Poetry Foundation--was on Jim Lehrer's News Hour. Follow this link to read the transcript or view the streaming video. 8/20/2009

Join our new Kansas Authors Club Page on Facebook. Here is your opportunity to discuss the art of writing and your life as a writer with fellow members! Join Facebook, if you are not yet a member—then become a fan: Kansas Authors Club on Facebook

    Kansas Authors Club now has a page on Facebook. If you are already on Facebook, run right over and sign up as a fan. Add the Kansas Authors Club page to your profile. If you are not already on Facebook, you might consider joining (kids and grandkids are great coaches for getting you started if you aren't familiar with the site). Signing up involves sharing your e-mail address, dreaming up a password, creating a space on Facebook about yourself and deciding just how much personal information you'd like to share with the world.
     Once you are a member, just do a site search for "Kansas Authors Club" and become a fan of our group.
    We are hoping the Kansas Authors Club page on Facebook will be a way to increase member interaction and keep the energy level high within KAC. Check our Facebook calendar for details about upcoming district meetings. Members can add workshops and book signings they've heard about. Any event our writers are involved in can be listed and the site may help potential members to see what a vibrant and active organization we can be. Members can control their own content and leave the work of keeping the official web site to Carol Yoho, who has managed that work for several years.
    There is also a discussion board. How this evolves is entirely up to us, but so far there's a spot for members to share publication
success stories, etc.
     The Facebook page is NOT intended to replace our regular web site, but to complement our current site.
    Your suggestions are also welcome for making this space truly interactive.
     The state board of KAC officers hope this site will be a tool for our members and potential members. updated 9/20/2009

Virigina Hays, D5, Wichita, reports: We lost a precious lady Saturday, July 11, 2009: Claire Sorensen. She had just recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The obituary is in the Wichita Eagle. 7/14/2009

Don Coldsmith, 83, died on Thursday, June 25, 2009, at the University of Kansas Hospital, Kansas City, Kansas, after suffering a stroke. Read news story. Read tribute in Flyover People. Read tribute in Emporia Gazette. Read obituary from Wichita Eagle. See also: Coldsmith honored. Don spoke at Saturday luncheon at the 2004 KAC Centennial Convention held in Topeka and was given an honorary membership in the club at that time. 6/26/2009

Poised to Sell E-Books, Google Takes on Amazon NYTimes, 6/1/2009

By-the-Book Reader Meets the Kindle NYTimes,.5/30/2009

Scribd invites writers to upload and name their price NYTimes,.5/18/2009

After 341 Years, British Poet Laureate Is a Woman
NYTimes, 5/4/2009, by SARAH LYALL
With the choice of Carol Ann Duffy, the post held by such poets as Dryden, Tennyson, Wordsworth and Ted Hughes went to a woman for the first time. 5/4/2009

"With Kindle, can you tell it's Proust?" NYTimes, 4/25/2009

Have you published a book? Google has plans to copy it, and may be trying to reach you in the process. Read the NYTimes article. 3/4/2009 See also: "Google’s Plan for Out-of-Print Books Is Challenged," follow-up article, NYTimes. 4/3/2009

KAC MEMBERSHIP AWARDS PROGRAM begins
At the Kansas Authors Club Convention last October in Dodge City, both the Board and general membership voted approval of appropriate awards for longtime members for their time and service to KAC's literary community. This Awards Program acknowledges KAC members for active, continuing service for progressive intervals of 10, 15 and 20+ years. This program begins January, 2009.
      When KAC members indicate to their respective District Presidents that they have belonged for these years of continuous, active membership, a certificate of achievement will be prepared for each member for those 10, 15 or 20+ year increments of time. The State Archivist will assist the District and State Presidents in verifying the member's length of service. A prepared certificate, pin and a memento will be supplied to the District President for presentation to the qualified members of his/her district.
      A list of awards includes not only a nicely-printed certificate -- but also something of a more tangible nature:

For 10 years of membership , a 10-year pin and some memento, like a coffee mug imprinted with the KAC logo.
For 15 years of membership , a 15-year pin and a memento higher in quality than the 10-year award
For 20+ years of membership , an emeritus status with no further annual dues required (unless the member still wants to pay dues) -- plus a 20-year pin and a memento higher in quality than the 15-year award. This category would especially recognize those members who performed active service in State or District offices.

      Moreover, annual membership dues will be eliminated for those KAC members over the age of 80.
      Names of those given such awards will also be publicly acknowledged and congratulated by the current State President at the annual KAC Convention in a short segment of the Sunday banquet. Those honored will also receive a letter of appreciation signed by the State President.       A new-member reception at each State Convention will provide a social mixer for new and established members to introduce themselves and discuss literary ideas.
      News of members' length of membership and subsequent awards will also be publicized in the State and District newsletters, the KAC Yearbook and the KAC web page.
      Costs of materials, supplies and labor involved in the production of these membership awards will be provided by an anonymous donor and will not be paid by the Kansas Authors Club. 1/28/2009

‘The Graveyard Book' Wins Newbery Medal, 2009

Caldecott Medal 2009: The House in the Night

From Books, New President Found Voice
"Much has been made of Mr. Obama's eloquence — his ability to use words in his speeches to persuade and uplift and inspire. But his appreciation of the magic of language and his ardent love of reading have not only endowed him with a rare ability to communicate his ideas to millions of Americans while contextualizing complex ideas about race and religion, they have also shaped his sense of who he is and his apprehension of the world..." —continued, NYTimes, 1/19/2009

Fiction reading increases for adults. —NYTimes, 1/12/2009
Related: "Reading on the rise: A new chapter in American literacy." — PDF file, National Endowment for the Arts, Jan.2009 report

National Book Awards announced
Annette Gordon-Reed won the National Book Award for nonfiction on Nov. 19, 2008, for “The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family,” a sweeping, prodigiously researched biography of three generations of a slave family owned by Thomas Jefferson.
In the fiction category, Peter Matthiessen won for “Shadow Country,” a one-volume compilation of three previously released but revised and condensed novels based on the life of Edgar J. Watson, a 19th century ruthless cane farmer in Florida who was said to be a serial killer. It was published by Modern Library. See NYTimes article. 10/20/2008

French writer Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio , whose work reflects a seemingly insatiable restlessness and sense of wonder about other places and other cultures, won the 2008 Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008. Read more in the NYTimes. 10/12/2008

Ann Everett, District 5, Wichita, reminds members to share events and accomplishments with Carol Yoho, the KAC web site manager. Check out our "Writers in the Community" page, linked at the left of our Welcome page, for community-related acitiviity postings by members.
    Documenting our community-related activities will aid KAC in our goal of gaining 501(c)3 status as a "non-profit" organization. That designation, in turn, will help us in asking for funds from businesses that look for tax incentives when donating.
    The 501(c)3 form asks for our web site address, and someone will check online for collaboration of our reported activities.
     Our efforts as “Writers in the Community” make us much more than just a social organization! Share your public service as a writer. 7/28/2008

KAC logo is available for download.

Books wanted for Kansas Authors Club Collection

Don Pady, our Kansas Authors Club State Archivist, prepares reviews and synopses of books donated to the Kansas Authors Club Collection in the Kansas Collection at the Spencer Library at the University of Kansas. He delivers books to Spencer Library and encourages members to donate one autographed copy of each of their published books for this collection. Books should be mailed to Don Pady. Questions concerning content of the Archives and the history of the Kansas Authors Club may be addressed to the Archivist.
      Don Pady
      Kansas Authors Club State Archivist
      5839 SW Sterling Lane, Topeka, KS 66604
      785-271-2489, send e-mail to Don —2/8/2006
The Spencer Library includes the Kansas Collection in their online catalog << search by title or author's name. Each title's bibliographic record provides classification letters and numbers, author's name, title, place of publication, publisher, imprint date, number of pages, illustrations (if any), series titles (if listed) and subject headings which include genre(s) of the book. 1/1/2009

KAC Domain Name
Have you previously had trouble remembering the complicated address for the Kansas Authors Club web site? Type www.kansasauthors.org into your browser, and this will take you directly to the Welcome page of the web site.

On-line resources:

Mike Klaassen, District 5, Valley Center, announces "For Fiction Writers," a free monthly e-zine for writers wanting to learn more about the craft of writing fiction. To subscribe visit Mike's web site and join the mailing list. New subscribers may recieve Mike's special report "The Secrets of Enhancing Emotion in Fiction." 6/27/2009

Tom Mach, District 2, Lawrence, found this Cure for Writer's Block on-line at WEbook.com. 4/17/2009

WritingRaw.com " is a literary sharing website where writers can upload, view and share their writing. The only restriction is that the material cannot be illegal in any sense of the word (such as child porn, plagiarism, etc.). Feel free to post in any of the following categories: FICTION • POETRY • NONFICTION • REMEMBRANCE • and ASSORTED 9/30/2009

"Ten Tips for Writing a Feature Press Release," GuideStar. 1/22/2009

"Local Writers' Associations, by State" includes four groups in Kansas. You may find looking at what is available in other states interesting as well. 9/11/2008