Harry Jackson Jr.: Choosing the Writing Life

What does a commitment to a writing life involve? How do you do it well? Award-winning journalist Harry Jackson Jr. talks about how to use photography to enrich your writing at a workshop sponsored by the St. Louis Writers Guild from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Kirkwood Community Center at 111 South Geyer, Kirkwood, Mo., 63122. Free to Guild members, $5 for non-members.

Harry Jackson Jr. is a journalist of more than 35 years, including 25 with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. During this time, he has won more than a dozen journalism awards. He is an adjunct professor at Lindenwood University, where he teaches narrative feature writing and documentary history. His freelance work has been published widely and has appeared in dozens of publications across the United States.

Carol McAdams Moore: Zonderkidz makes devotionals fun for tweens

Welcome to CAROL McADAMS MOORE, whom I had the pleasure to meet at the Missouri Writers Guild conference. She writes for children and youth in the Christian and general markets. Her writing credits include work for David C. Cook; Urban Ministries, Inc.; Christian Education Warehouse; Clubhouse; Clubhouse, Jr.; Lifeway magazines; and The Christian Communicator. Her desire is that every child will answer Jesus’ call and discover God’s purpose for his or her own life.

At the 2014 Writers in the Park Conference, I talked with young writers about the book publishing process. I wanted them to get the inside scoop on how an idea becomes a book. My favorite thing to share with them was the backward book report. Every student is familiar with writing a traditional book report. Most do not realize that before a book is published, the author must write a proposal (a lengthy, backward book report) for the book that is still just in the idea stage.

In today’s technologically driven, plugged-in world, Zonderkidz invites tweens to unplug and discover the path to following Christ, using their own creativity, through two exciting new devotionals designed to make devotion time fun and engaging.

Dare U 2 Open This Book and Just Sayin’ are not typical 90-day devotionals for kids. From author Carol McAdams Moore come two draw ‘em, write ‘em, live ‘em books for tween guys and girls ages 8-12. Through these creative, sometimes wacky applications and doodles tweens will learn Bible truths and explore more about themselves and their faith.

Carol McAdams Moore’s books are available at the following stores and sites:

·      Amazon

·      Family Christian Bookstores

·      Lifeway Stores

·      Zondervan

·      Barnes and Noble

·      STL Books in Kirkwood, Missouri

How do you find time to write and do a demanding job? As a full time teacher, I have to balance my time each day. I write early in the morning before work. My mind is fresh, and there is nothing calling out for my attention (no phone, no visitors, etc.). People ask how I can function by getting up so early in the morning (generally around 4 a.m.) – I explain that farmers have a great plan. Eat dinner early, go to bed early, and be ready to start fresh in the morning.

What inspired your latest book? My school hosted a Scholastic Book Fair. I noticed that students were returning to the classroom with a certain format of book, and that struggling, average, and advanced readers were equally interested in the format. I wanted to write a book for girls and one for boys that reflected that format and challenged kids to explore their faith.

What do you think readers will like about your book? I think that tweens will love the format: short text that is paired with application (doodle opps and other activities). The books are similar in design to these popular book lines: Wreck This Journal, Coke or Pepsi, and the Dude Diary.

What's the highest compliment someone could make about your writing? The highest compliment to my writing is seeing a young reader engaged in the pages. Recently, we had a celebration of the books with a group of 8-12 year olds. One participant was immediately reading and drawing his answers on the pages. He was so engaged that he carried his open book with him for the group photo so that he would not lose his place.

STL Books - No Commitment Book Club!

Looking for a book club, but not sure you have the time?

STL Books has a new book club – The No Commitment Book Club!

Join STL Books on Wednesday, September 24 from 6:30 to 9pm for the first-ever meeting of “The No Commitment Book Club.” For the first pick, they are discussing The Weirdness, the debut novel of Jeremy Bushnell, who teaches writing at Northeastern.

The panel will be reading the book as the weeks go by and randomly posting their insights on our Bookscape Blog. You can chime in with your own comments, too. The book includes discussion questions to get you revved up.

Then, on the 4th Wednesday of every month (except December–they’re all really busy then), The No Commitment Book Club will hold a gathering at StLBooks. Arrive at 6:30pm for friendship, cheese and wine (bring a bottle to share). At 7pm, sharp, we will begin our one-hour LiveStream discussion. Everyone is welcome to participate–in the flesh or online.

You don’t have to join
You don’t have to attend the meetings
Heck, you don’t even have to read the book!

But you’re going to want to!

The Weirdness is available now at StLBooks. Just mention The No Commitment Book Club to one of our booksellers to receive a 15% discount, or purchase it on our website and use Discount code NCBC092014 at checkout.

http://www.stlbooks.com/bookscape/

Ready to join? No need. Just show up on September 24th.
STL Books hopes to see you, but then that's entirely up to you.

To view the event, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysVxMGelrJo

Once the event starts they will be broadcasting live, participants can ask questions or make comments via a text chat that is just below the video and will be answered in real time. Once the event is over, the video will be uploaded to YouTube.

See you tonight! 

Dill signs children's books 9/20 at 6 North

Click image to enlarge.

Paranormally Yours Release Party 9/15!

Join the party and comment to win prizes from each author! ON FACEBOOK

Just for chatting with me at 5 p.m. CDT, you’ll be entered in the drawing for a $10 Amazon gift card OR your choice of an ebook or print version (U.S. only) of my new book, THE LABYRINTH OF TIME, available Nov. 7.

And don’t miss the great deal on the eight-story boxed set–ebook only 99 cents on KINDLE | NOOK |SMASHWORDS!

• Noon EST: Zoe Dawson
• 12:30: Edie Ramer
• 1:00: Misty Evans 
• 1:30: Nicky Charles
• 2:00: Jan Gordon
• 2:30: Alisha Basso
• 3:00: Neeley Bratcher
• 3:30: Mary Hughes
• 4:00: Dale Mayer 
• 4:30: S.C. Stephens 
• 5:00: J.R. Pearse Nelson 
• 5:30: Candace Carrabus
• 6:00: T.W. Fendley (5 p.m. Central Daylight Time!)
• 6:30: Lauralynn Elliott 
• 7:00: Darlene Gardner
• 7:30: Roxy Mews, Jodi Redford, SL Carpenter

Visit the eight awesome authors who are joining together for this boxed set of paranormal stories:

• Alisha Basso - http://www.alishabasso.com/
• Zoe Dawson - http://zoedawson.com/
• Candace Carrabus - http://candacecarrabus.com/
• Lauralynn Elliott - http://lauralynnelliott.com/
• Dale Mayer - http://dalemayer.com/
• Edie Ramer - http://edieramer.com/
• Mary Hughes - http://maryhughesbooks.com/
• Nicky Charles - http://www.nickycharles.com/

Learn more about the guest authors:

• Jan Gordon - https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JanG
• Neeley Bratcher - https://www.facebook.com/NeeleyBratcher
• TW Fendley - http://twfendley.com/
• Misty Evans - http://www.readmistyevans.com/
• Darlene Gardner - http://www.darlenegardner.com/
• J.R. Pearse Nelson - http://www.jrpearsenelson.com/
• S.C. Stephens - http://authorscstephens.com/
• Roxy Mews - http://www.roxyrocksme.com/
• Jodi Redford - http://jodiredford.com/Home_Page.html
• SL Carpenter - http://www.slcarpenter.net/index1.html

“Five in Five” workshop gives writers instant feedback

Get instant feedback on your writing at a “Five in Five” workshop sponsored by the St. Louis Writers Guild from 10 a.m. to noon, Sept. 6, at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer Rd. in Kirkwood.

Bring the first five pages of your work--fiction, nonfiction, or poetry—and sign up at the beginning of the free workshop to have it read aloud by another writer.

“Getting some distance from your work by having someone else read it often helps you pinpoint problem areas,” said Brad Cook, Guild president.

When the five-minute buzzer sounds, others attending the workshop will have five minutes to comment on what they like and offer suggestions on ways to improve the piece.

“This is similar to the slushpile read some writing conferences offer, but instead of having agents critique the work, it will be other writers,” Cook said. “We will discuss the importance of openings and hooks, as well as critique methods, so be ready to share what you’ve learned along the writing path.”

Learn more about the St. Louis Writers Guild at www.stlwritersguild.org

The Labyrinth of Time: coming Nov. 7!

I'm happy to announce The Labyrinth of Time, my young adult contemporary fantasy set in Peru, is coming Nov. 7 from Silent Partner Publishing and is NOW available for presale at:

• Amazon and 

• Smashwords!

If you'd like a review copy, please contact me at twfendley@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you!

Can Jade restore the Firestone's powers before the First Men return to judge humanity? 

Spending spring break in Peru with her grandmother isn't sixteen-year-old Jade's idea of fun. She'd much rather be with her friends at Lake of the Ozarks. Then she meets Felix, a museum director's son. Jade discovers only she and Felix can telepathically access messages left on engraved stones in the age of dinosaurs. 

Following the ancient stones' guidance, they enter the Labyrinth of Time and--with a shapeshifting dog's help--seek a red crystal called the Firestone. But time is running out before the First Men return on the night of the second blue moon.

***

Prophecy from the Peruvian Elders

Beware the second blue moon’s rising. Stones will speak to men, and the song of Pachamama and Inti will fill your hearts. Tremble at the dark moon, which heralds the Light’s return. Only those who tread the Path of Knowledge may rise among the First Men and quench the flames of doom.

***

My thanks to author/illustrator Jennifer Stolzer for her cover illustration, which gives readers their first glimpse into the Labyrinth!

T.W. Fendley is an award-winning author of historical fantasy and science fiction for adults and young adults. She began writing fiction full-time in 2007 after working twenty-five years in journalism and corporate communications. 

She fell in love with ancient American cultures while researching story ideas at the 1997 Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop. Since then, she’s trekked to archeological sites in the Yucatan, Peru and American Southwest. 

When she’s not writing, T.W. explores the boundaries of consciousness through remote viewing and shamanism. She currently lives in the Greater St. Louis area with her husband and his pet fish. 

Learn more about T.W. at www.twfendley.com.


Pre-order your copy today!

Following from Jennifer Compton, St. Charles City-County Library District

Hi Local Author/Illustrator!

We have had an overwhelming response from local authors to the open house again this year even with the tighter restriction.  We would like to move up the deadline for contacting us to reserve your spot.  The new deadline to guarantee a booth at the local author open house is Friday, September 5^th.  After that, anyone interested will be placed on a waiting list and should space become available we will contact you immediately.

For more details, see our earlier post!