Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Red Oak Studios Kim Suhr shares new book



Cornerstone Press, Dec. 2018
ISBN 9780984673971
Paperback: $14.95
E-book coming soon
Buy on
Indie Bound
Amazon

About the book:
Drawing on the rich complexity of the American Midwest, Kim Suhr peoples her debut book of fiction with characters that we know, carved out of the Wisconsin landscape and caught between expectation and desire. An Iraq war veteran stalks the streets of Madison. Four drunk friends hunt deer outside of Antigo. A mother tries to save her son. A transplanted New Yorker plots revenge against her husband. A man sobers up and opens a paintball range for Jesus. A woman with nothing to lose waits for her first kiss.

Personal and powerful, Kim Suhr’s Nothing to Lose shows us a region filled with real people: less than perfect, plagued with doubts, always reaching.

A brief interview with the author:

Tell us about your book and how the seed of idea turned into story.

Nothing to Lose is a collection of short stories that all take place in various towns and cities across Wisconsin. Each of the stories had different seeds. The opening story comes from an image of a man wearing night vision goggles that came into my mind when I woke in the middle of the night. Another story came from overhearing someone say, “My kids grew up in the viewfinder of my husband’s camcorder.” Another was to the prompt, “I never, never, never, never, NEVER would have believed that would happen…” The final story came from someone telling me she had a friend who decided to follow all the advice on her Dove chocolate wrappers. What all of the story seeds share is the question that followed: “What if…?” And that is when the stories sprouted.

What did you draw on most from your vast warehouse of writing background to complete your first published novel short story collection?

Persistence. I submitted the collection over thirty times before I got a yes—and over a hundred and thirty submissions of the individual stories to literary journals. I had to believe in the stories, keep striving to make them better (Revision is your friend!), and not let “no” be a deterrent.

How different is it for you to write fiction and non-fiction?

Actually, a good story is a good story, so I don’t find writing narrative nonfiction and fiction all that different from each other. In nonfiction, the story already exists, so it’s like the description of sculpting attributed to Michelangelo, to take a piece of marble and “remove everything that isn’t David.” In fiction, we get to create the “marble” ourselves. But ultimately, the reader of both expects the same thing: to see a change in a character and to understand why and how it happened.

What do you learn from your writing studio students/workshops?

I have learned perseverance, generosity of spirit, and the power of community. In teaching my writing students particular skills or techniques, I must first become adept in them myself. This process allows me to return to my beginner’s mind and put my own writing to the test.

What’s coming up next?

I am working on the audiobook version of Nothing to Lose, then probably an e-book as well. I have a couple of short stories in process and a few chapters of something that wants to be a novel. (Ssshhhh! Don’t tell anyone.)

About the Author:
Kim Suhr lives and writes in southeastern Wisconsin. Her work has appeared in Midwest Review, Stonecoast Review, Rosebud and others. She holds an MFA from Pine Manor College, where she was the 2013 Dennis Lehane Fellow in Fiction. She is director of Red Oak Writing and a member of the Wisconsin Writers Association Board of Directors. You can follow her at:

Facebook
Twitter (@kimsuhr)
Instagram

Thursday, April 18, 2019

WISCON Memorial Day weekend

Not sure how I missed this little gem, WisCon, holding its 43rd convention.

WisCon

WisCon is a feminist science fiction & fantasy convention held annually in Madison, Wisconsin.
this year's date is May 24-27, and features G Willow Wilson and Charlie Jane Anders. Workshops, panel discussions, and events for teens are scheduled.

Check the blog for current updates. Unfortunately, the deadlines to apply to participate have passed, but you can still register--seems like a great price, and there are volunteer ops. Held at the very cool Madison Concourse Hotel, and you can still get a special room rate through May 3. Registration for the convention goes through May 15. Click here.

According to the history on the website:"The first WisCon in 1977 honored author Katherine MacLean and Amanda Bankier (editor of the first feminist fanzine, “The Witch and the Chameleon”)"... It was held on the UW campus in February, with an attendance of approximately 200.

"The feminist focus of WisCon has waned and sharpened over the years. WisCon’s engagement with feminism was re-energized at WisCon 15 in 1991 when Guest of Honor Pat Murphy announced the James Tiptree, Jr. Award. WisCon became the Tiptree Award’s greatest ally and supporter. In 1996, WisCon 20 celebrated the convention’s 20th birthday by inviting Ursula K. Le Guin and Judith Merril, as well as all its past guests of honor. Nearly 750 people attended.

"WisCon has grown from a small regional convention to a large, truly international convention, with attendees traveling from all over the world in order to meet other fans and professionals with similar interests. Our convention has grown up to become the annual gathering for the feminist SF community. It also functions as a vibrant meeting place for fans and professionals interested in broader themes of gender, race, and class in Science Fiction and Fantasy."

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Barbara Britton and Adah's Journey review

Jerusalem Rising: Adah's Journey

Jerusalem Rising: Adah’s Journey by Barbara Britton
Biblical history
Harbourlight, November 2017
$4.99
$14.99
Buy on Amazon 

About the Book:
When Adah bat Shallum finds the governor of Judah weeping over the crumbling wall of Jerusalem, she learns the reason for Nehemiah's unexpected visit—God has called him to rebuild the wall around the City of David. Nehemiah challenges the people of God to labor on the wall and in return, the names of their fathers will be written in the annals for future generations to cherish. But Adah has one sister and no brothers. Will her father, who rules a half-district of Jerusalem, be forgotten forever? Adah bravely vows to rebuild her city's wall, though she soon discovers that Jerusalem not only has enemies outside the city, but also within. Can Adah, her sister, and the men they love, honor God's call? Or will their mission be crushed by the same stones they hope to construct?

Review:
Beautifully written, well-researched tale of one of the lost eras in the history of the Hebrew nation. Yes, we read about rebuilding the wall in Ezra and Nehemiah, but then begins a dark ages-like time until the Roman occupation. It’s good to know that women went alongside as they were called to do. While Britton doesn’t mean to create a feminist novel here, she does want us to know through lovely fiction that women were not always the paving stones of the biblical world. They had a mission and a voice and real goals. Adah’s Journey is a story of one of these women with a personality and a national sense of duty; a determination to act upon God’s call for her community no matter what misguided men of the society believe of feminine capabilities in opposition to God’s plan.

Adah’s mother encourages Adah and her sister Judith to seek help from an old friend who has gone to live as a hermit outside of the city. This master builder has his own past to deal with and fights rejoining society. Nehemiah, the cupbearer to the king, is portrayed as a sympathetic hero who must convince his own people to retake their culture and their faith during a broken time. Fans of biblical fiction will find much to love about this story, one of the Tribes of Israel series. Adah’s Journey is a stand-alone full-length novel.

Thursday, April 11, 2019

A Picture and 1000 Words

A Picture and a Thousand Words 2019
Call for entries - no submission fees

Our mission is to keep this event inclusive to all.
Donations to defray our costs will be accepted at the event.

View photo submissions here
Writing submissions close June 21, 2019.

Genre: Fiction, nonfiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, poetry, and flash fiction. The piece should clearly connect to the photo you've selected.

Format: Title, word count, author's name and contact information in heading, Times New Roman, 12 point font, double spaced, one inch margins, numbered pages
1,000 word maximum
Submit PDF or MS-Word document to: writeapic@gmail.com

Selected readers will be notified on July 1, 2019 via personal email and on our website.

Please note: Writers must be present to read at the event.


Where: Sugar Maple, 441 E. Lincoln Ave, Milwaukee WI
When: Thursday, July 25, 2019


Monday, April 8, 2019

Write By the Lake June 17-19


Write by the Lake
June 17-19, 2019
Madison Wisconsin

Join writers from across the country in a professional, friendly, creative atmosphere. For beginning writers & those near publication. Early-bird fee by May 14 is $395 ($445 after) 
except for Master Classes; UW English credits extra.

Questions?
Contact Christine DeSmet at christine.desmet@wisc.edu or 608-262-3447


NEW THIS YEAR!
Afternoon choices
3-day sections
Expanded nonfiction & memoir
Expanded fiction for novices
Help compiling a poetry manuscript
Writing middle-grade/YA

This retreat is part of the new UW-Madison Continuing Studies badge and writing certificate programs in fiction, nonfiction/memoir, scripts, poetry, and workplace writing skills

Friday, April 5, 2019

Retreat at Shake Rag Alley April 26-28



Shake Rag Alley™ Center for the Arts, 18 Shake Rag Street, Mineral Point, WI 53565
Telephone: (608) 987-3292 :: www.ShakeRagAlley.com :: info@shakeragalley.com
If you want a close-to-home writers retreat in a lovely Wisconsin town (that won't break the bank), join us for the third annual Writers Retreat at Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts, open to writers of all levels. Enrich your talent and prospects in this charming art community and old mining town.


Choose one of three genres taught by either Patricia Ann McNair (Memoir and Personal Essay; Retreat Artistic Director), Christine Rice (Short Story), or Shawn Shiflett (New Novel Pages) for an in-depth workshop that will challenge you across the three days. These workshop leaders are well-published and award-winning, and are active, experienced teachers of writing.



Interwoven around these main workshops will be optional and inspiring creative activities; publishing panel discussions; and participant, faculty, and local author readings.


Share lunches with your new writing friends each day and enjoy Mineral Point evenings together. Manuscript consultations are available with instructors on a first sign up, first served basis, at a very affordable price.

We are pleased to work in partnership with Hypertext Magazine & Studio, a social justice writing nonprofit organization.

Retreat price $295
includes main workshop selection, optional workshops and activities, and lunches
Optional Manuscript Consultations $35
Manuscript consultations are available with instructors on a first sign up, first served basis.


The retreat begins at 10 a.m. Friday, April 26 

and runs through 5 p.m. Sunday, April 28

Monday, April 1, 2019

Non Fiction Writers Webinar May 8 to 10

Register for the 2019 Nonfiction Writers Conference
Join us for the 9th annual Nonfiction Writers Conference

Event Dates: May 8-10, 2019
This event is VIRTUAL! Attend from anywhere.

Since 2010, the Nonfiction Writers’ Conference has taken the concept of the traditional in-person writers’ conference and turned it into a one-of-a-kind ONLINE experience. Featuring 15 speakers over three days, all sessions are conducted via webinar, which means attendees from around the globe participate via phone or webcast–NO TRAVEL REQUIRED!

Dates: May 8th, 9th and 10th, 2019

Times: 9am PDT/ 12pm EDT through 3pm PDT/ 6pm EDT each day


Location: Wherever you are!

Can’t make it to the live event? Replays, recordings, and transcripts are available!

New for NFWC 2019: All Conference Sessions Delivered in Webinar Format!

Beginning with the 2019 Nonfiction Writers Conference, all event sessions will be delivered in webinar format. This means you can watch a visual presentation on your computer while you listen to each lecture. OR, you can opt to watch a replay of each session at a later time/day, download the recording to listen on the go, or read the transcripts. Options depend on the registration level you choose.

For those who prefer to participate by phone, this option is still available, too!

Since we launched in 2010, we chose to use the teleseminar format because of the ease of use. But technology has evolved and it’s easier than ever to participate in a webinar. We are excited to bring this technology to our NFWC attendees in 2019–and we promise it will be easy to access, and a rewarding experience for attendees.

Fees range from $125 to $490 depending on what you sign up for.