Monday, March 24, 2014

Author Appearance March 26 Angela Sorby, anthology of children's poetry

A notice of an author appearance:

Angela Sorby, will be at Boswell's Book Company, 2559 N. Downer, 7:00pm Wednesday March 26
She has co-edited "Over the River and Through the Woods: An Anthology of Nineteenth-Century American Children's Poetry" and will be talking about that book.  

Sorby is an associate professor of English at Marquette University. Her newest book "The Sleeve Waves" (University of Wisconsin Press) is this year's winner of the Felix Pollak Prize in Poetry  and contains many Wisconsin locales and musical references. 


Karin Schmidt
WWA SE Region Coordinator
sereg@wiwrite.org

Friday, March 21, 2014

Novel in Progress Bookcamp - Looking For You! - limited registration

Novel in Progress Book Camp

WHEN: May 18 to 24, 2014.
WHERE: the Cedar Valley Center & Spa is 35 miles northwest of Milwaukee, near West Bend, Wisconsin.
It's about 2 hours from Chicago.
WHO: We expect the 2014 camp to accept 15–25 participants.
WHAT: One registration fee covers all Bookcamp expenses, including room & board, classes, handouts, group critique and one-on-one mentoring sessions, guest speakers, and special activities.
HOW: It costs nothing to apply. Simply submit the requested information about your work-in-progress and your writing goals (we screen applicants to ensure that each is a good fit for the program).
Then, a refundable $100 deposit will reserve your spot as a 2014 Bookcamp writer.
WHY: This is a remarkable chance to work closely with the Bookcamp's staff of experienced professionals with broad experience in the publishing world – as authors, editors, publishers, screenwriters. and literary coaches – to discuss what your novel needs to succeed and to help you plan its best path to publication.

The Novel-in-Progress Bookcamp is an intense, 6-day, 6-night, full-immersion workshop-retreat for writers in all genres working on a novel or creative nonfiction book. Whether you are working on your first novel, an Indie author, or an established writer looking for someone to bounce ideas off of, the Bookcamp will help you advance your manuscript and provide timely advice to get your work published.
Space is limited, and there is a discount to register early. Only the first 13 registrants are guaranteed a single room. Additional, double rooms are available.
The Bookcamp’s schedule offers instruction, critique sessions, discussions on the current publishing industry, one-on-one meetings about your project, and pitch sessions with literary agents.
The Bookcamp will be held May 18 to 24, 2014, at the Cedar Valley Center & Spa (www.cedarvalleycenter.org), which is 35 miles northwest of Milwaukee and near West Bend, Wisconsin, and about 2 hours from Chicago. It can easily be reached from State Highway 41.
The single registration fee covers all expenses: room, board, instructional classes and materials, one-on-one sessions, and all the customized advice from published professionals you can handle on your project. However, all spa services are optional on your own dime and time.
The Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp is sponsored by the Wisconsin Writers Association (WWA), co-sponsored by the Chicago Writers Association (CWA), and receives additional support from our Creative Co-Sponsors.
This Bookcamp is open to anyone seriously interested in advancing their writing skills and producing a quality book, both WWA members and nonmembers. WWA members have first-choice privileges and receive a registration fee discount, as do members of CWA.
We can accommodate about 30 registrants at Cedar Valley. Because of the space limit and to ensure all participants will benefit from the Bookcamp’s information-packed schedule, we have established an application screening process. There is no cost to apply. Once an applicant is accepted into the Bookcamp, a fee payment schedule comfortable for the registrant will be worked out, starting with a $100 deposit to reserve a room.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Writer's Institute April 3-6 Madison WI

UW- Madison continuing education Writer's Institute

April 3-6, 2014
Madison, WI

Times, lunch, and break information
On Friday, April 4th, and Saturday, April 5th, registration starts at 8:00am. Refreshments are available at 8:00am both days, included in the fee. Please pre-register for Friday lunch, agent/editor Q & A sessions, contest entries, advanced manuscript critiques, critique groups, written critiques, agent and editor pitches, practice pitch sessions, fireside chats, and one-on-one meetings with instructors.
All instructor sessions are open and you do not have to pre-register for them.
Rooms will be posted on the 2nd floor of the Madison Concourse Hotel and listed on the schedule in your packet.
The fee for the special Friday April 4th Networking Lunch and Success Panel is $15.00. You may attend the lunch without partaking in the buffet. Please note however that no outside food is allowed at the Madison Concourse Hotel.
Lunch on Saturday, April 5th, is on your own.
In the center of town, lots of things to do. Want to bring the family? www.visitmadison.com»
This year's event is at the Madison Concourse Hotel, concoursehotel.com. It's at One West Dayton, 1 block from the State Capital and our downtown square, just steps away from the UW-Madison campus, and a block away from colorful State Street with many restaurants and stores, the Overture Center for the Arts, and much more along the way. You can even rent bikes on Capital Square. For the family, the free Henry Vilas Park Zoo has perennially been named a "Best Free Place For Families."
Your fee includes goodies
Registration is $180 for Friday or Saturday/Sunday, or a $280 combo fee.
Fee includes instruction, handout materials, morning continental breakfast Friday and Saturday, afternoon refreshments, and Sunday coffee/tea. Pitches, practice pitch sessions, all critiques, the contest, Friday luncheon, fireside chats, and one-on-one meetings are extra; please see the registration form. (You must be enrolled for Friday or Saturday/Sunday in order to pitch or enter the contest.)
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Participants earn 0.6 CEU Friday and/or Saturday, 0.3 on Sunday (potential total 1.5). A CEU is a nationally recognized way of recording your participation in noncredit professional development. If you are a teacher and interested in earning credits, please contact conference director Laurie Scheer.
Teachers
The University of Wisconsin–Madison programs are approved toward re-licensure by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
What to wear
“Dressy casual” clothes and good walking shoes are the norm. Outside, early April in Wisconsin can be anything from winter to spring, the 30s to the 70s, with sun, rain, or late-season snow, so please check weather forecasts before packing.
Parking
You receive parking information with your enrollment confirmation. The Madison Concourse hotel offers an indoor parking garage. The rate is $10 per night if you are an overnight guest. If attending the conference on a daily basis, the rate is $1.50 per hour up to a maximum of $17 per day. Additional parking is available across the street at the State Street Capitol ramp» (214 N. Carroll Street).
Or call (608) 262-1122 for advice and maps. UW parking permits cost $13 per day. Some hotels offer free parking; some offer free shuttles to campus.
Childcare
Call the Office of Campus Child Care, (608) 262-9715.
Overnight accommodations—make your reservation NOW!
Lodging is on your own. We have reserved a block of rooms in 2 hotels:
Concourse Hotel» One West Dayton Street, (608) 257-6000, (parking-see above), $134.00 for Concourse Level or $179.00 for Governor’s Club until March 6, 2014.
Guest room rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes in effect at the time of check-in. Current tax rate is 14.5%. Please call the hotel directly at the number above or (800) 356-8293 to make reservations. Please identify yourself as part of the UW 2014 Writers’ Institute to receive special rates.
Lowell Center» 610 Langdon St., (608) 256-2621, (free parking, breakfast, pool), $89.00-105.00.
Group Code is WRITER. Please make your reservation before March 5, 2014. The Lowell Center’s reservation page can be found at http://bit.ly/writer03apr»
For more information
Contact director Laurie Scheer, (608) 265-3972 / lscheer@dcs.wisc.edu or Laura Kahl, (608) 262-3982 / lkahl@dcs.wisc.edu.


Friday, March 14, 2014

Dessert First with Gail Sweet



My newest book, Dessert First is published! As with all my books, sales benefit the charity I founded in 1982, HOPE Network for Single Mothers.

Dessert First is a book full of short pieces - a perfect companion for "la toilette."

In its pages you’ll travel from city streets to haylofts. You’ll encounter mice wearing clothes, a bad guy stopped by a smile, a St. Francis in need of recapitation, and two old ladies whose racy conversation leads them to calamity. You’ll find leaves to kick, spring peepers, chickens, fruit flies, deer, drought, and frost. There are earthly delights like a blue Fiestaware dish – and bummers like walking to the gym shower wearing socks.

Inside you’ll find seventy-seven glimpses of Wisconsin life, to be read in any order. This book has your name on it if you like short true stories – if you laugh at everyday comedy – if you’ve lived through highs and lows – and if you believe good trumps evil.

From more than three decades of writing for the public, a message comes through: Life is short and often hard – but it’s full of desserts. In this book, I share those desserts – tastier than Wisconsin frozen custard.

You may order Dessert First from me directly or as an e-book or paperback from Amazon.com.

Through March 31, I have a book give-away contest on my blog (drawing will be done from names of people who leave comments).


Gail Grenier Sweet
Calling All Horses
Dog Woman
Don't Worry Baby 

Dessert First - all available from Amazon.com under author name Gail Grenier