Newsletter of the Carrollton Creative Writers’ Club Issue Number 3 Date: September 2007 Publishers ADP\LDG The Carrollton Creative Writers Club is a support group of writers for writers. Our mission: To provide information and critique, and to facilitate the art of all forms of written expression. Meeting times: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, 2nd and 4th Tuesdays Carrollton Performing Arts Center 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm 2nd and 4th Thursdays Carrollton Performing Arts Center Contact: Mary Wilburn (770) 832-0575 Mnsaxon@aol.com BUSINESS: The following info refers to the upcoming Christmas sale held yearly by the Art Guild: Books need to be at CCAC by noon on Tues., Oct. 30. No more than three books per title will be kept at the center. If you volunteer to sit during the sale, you can bring more books with you at that time. The opening reception is Nov.5 from 5-7 P.M.. We (CCWC) will need volunteers to handle sales at the opening. You may bring other holiday items to sell that you have made, note cards, etc. All items must be clearly priced. Forms will be given you when you drop off your books with the sale price, etc. CCAC will keep a percentage of each sale. I'll try to get answers to any more questions you may have. - Jan Umberger Don’t forget the CCWC Christmas party is coming up. Beverly has requested a preliminary RSVP for the sake of sizing up the required space we shall inhabit, and it’s location. The date for the party is set for 7:00 pm on December 1st, 2007 and is tentatively at the Mansion in Carrollton. More details will be provided as our social director, Bev Bruemmer, casts them into stone. Our group is growing rapidly, and happily so, however, the larger our group, the less time for individuals in our second meeting to read. Mary Wilburn has creatively designed a way to ensure everyone have an opportunity to read and receive critiques by their peers; she instituted the position of critique monitor. Critiquing being one of his many strengths, Richard Anderson accepted this position. Thank you Richard. Those scribes that wish to read to the group for critiques, please let Richard know at the start of the meeting how many pages, genre, and which draft it is; in this way, he can organize us, allotting time for everyone. Joann Dunn forwarded comparison information on Fidlar Doubleday vs. Axess printing companies. With the 15% discount that Fidlar Doubleday is presently offering, they are quite similar. Axess is still less expensive, and in closer proximity, however, both are known to produce high quality books expediently. Depending on number of pages, set up, artwork, etc., the average cost could be under $3.00 per for 100 books. Anyone interested in more information should bring any questions to our October 9th meeting, as a representative from Axess will be presenting. v Joann Dunn volunteered for Sisters In Crime at the SIBA trade show. The booths were for authors and their organizations, such as SinC and publishers; the "strollers" were small bookstore owners and librarians for the most part. The goal: for authors and publishers to convince the bookstore owners and libraries to stock their books. The method: Giveaways. All the authors had 50 -100 books, supplied by their publishers, to give away to store owners, etc. who visited their booth. The authors signing and handing out books did a brisk business. Joann commented that this was not a show for small publishers like herself, as the cost of giving away 100 books was prohibitive. She did, however, meet a lot of bookstore owners and librarians for future contact. Editor Chris Roerden is going to make a data base available for SinC members of all the industry people who stopped by their booth - a great contribution. FACILITATOR: 09/11/07 Tuesday AM Highlights: v Mary Wilburn brought the charming, interesting, and delightful Professor Harris Green to address our first September meeting. He discussed his book Chinaberry Summer. Professor Green’s childhood story reveals real personalities of his family, friends, and neighbors in a more innocent and ethical time of our country. Centered in his home town in Alabama, his book shares the antics and endeavors of three boys preparing for a big chinaberry war. Thank you Mary, for a wonderfully refreshing guest, and enlightening meeting. 09/13/07 Thursday PM Highlights: v We discussed writing resources, including magazines, newsletters, writing help books and online sources. We also talked about sharing responsibilities as facilitator. Richard McIntosh volunteered to talk to the group about how to create a template for a manuscript using a free (from the internet) word processor. More to come after his presentation in October. 09/23/07 Tuesday AM Highlights: v The second September meeting found eight scribes in attendance, five of which read their work. Mary acted as critique monitor in Richard’s stead, as he had a previous commitment. She, as many others, reported this new critiquing schedule worked out very well; there was ample time for everyone with 3 minutes to spare. 09/25/07 Thursday PM Highlights: v Richard McIntosh read a writing article to the group, and then three of the four members present read selections. READINGS: AM Readings: Mary Cunningham read a short memoir, Remembering Rhubarb Pie. Her thought is to add this piece to the WOOF (Women Only Over Fifty) book. The story is about her grandmother’s garden, her bingo expertise, and her rhubarb pie. v Reader’s comments: I was taken off guard that no one, except fellow Hoosier, Diana, knew jack squat about rhubarb! It was suggested that I explain this to the reader and also add the recipe for my grandmother’s vinegar pie crust. All very good ideas. Just to back y’all up, I had submitted it to another of my critique groups and they said exactly the same thing! So, I’ll be rewriting and will bring it back, soon. Thanks to all who were there and offered their suggestions. Mary. Mary Wilburn read the first chapter of her book, Blood Remembers, a sequel to her published Blood Kin. There was one suggestion for change from Diana Black; saying she didn’t get a good sense of who Cassie, the protagonist, is. v Reader’s Comments: That is exactly the kind of information I wanted, and will make sure Cassie is a little more clearly delineated in this chapter, without having her look in the mirror or giving a physical description of her. This is something every author has to be careful of. We know our characters inside out, and cannot be objective when it comes to making sure new readers can see them as well as we do. Every book must "stand alone" as all the writers' books and publishers' guidelines tell us, which means that each book must be complete within itself, not depending on information from other books in the series to make the reader see it clearly. PM Readings: Beverly Smith read a “get into the action now” rewrite of her first chapter. She took comments from our previous reading and cleated a delightful and compelling new beginning to a story that we are all excited to see unfold. v Reader’s Comments: The PM editor forgot to gather the reader’s comments. Oops! Lily Ward read a poetic work in progress about growing old. The story is told from the view of an elderly person. The narrator pleads her feelings and desires straight into the heart of the reader. The message is a poignant lesson that we all clearly received, yet for each of us, very personal. Lilly’s voice is clear and speaks directly to the heart, mixing in the facts and educating us at the same time. Go girl! v Reader’s Comments: The PM editor forgot to gather the reader’s comments. Oops! Richard McIntosh presented a new twist on the original story shared by his wife a few months ago. The story stands on it own, while at the same times can be melted into the original story. There was action, suspense, and some serious nail biting as we are thrust into the story from a new view. v Reader’s Comments: The PM editor forgot to gather the reader’s comments. Oops! (Others present, okay only Dave, though late, handed out a chapter for interested individuals to critique on their own, as time ran short.) CHECK YOUR CALENDARS: Please send events to Diana via dblack@sprynet.com for consideration. The SCBWI conference is coming up, October 19th, and 20th, in Birmingham, AL. Friday evening’s event is a dessert party lending the opportunity to meet with key speakers. Saturday is the full day conference, you can still register to attend, however the early bird discount is no longer in effect. The Christmas sale will be held at the Carrollton Creative Arts Center on October 30th. Books and other items should be turned in to the CCAC by 12:00 p.m. Mary Wilburn, Joann Dunn, and Beverly Bruemmer have more details on this event. PERSONALS: Mary Cunningham will be busy with book signings in next couple of months; the Literary Festival in Blairesville, Southern Breeze, and Savannah Children’s book festival will keep her busy up to Thanksgiving. Beverly Bruemmer has been oh, so busy with her picture book, To Market, To Market In The Big Red Truck. She has added an audio book and song, with an activity book; her teacher’s plan book is being finalized – All due to be released soon. FYI Helpful links: http://www.usu.edu/journalism/faculty/sweeney/resources/ap.htm http://www.bu.edu/com/writingprgm/ap_styleguide1.pdf www.ask.com S.T.R.A.P. Submissions Take a Look Rejections Acceptances Pledge Amber 5 3 10 Dave 15 1 8 12 Richard 2 ZanMarie 2 queries Anyone who would like to participate please submit your name and your pledge. If we don’t submit . . . well, none of these others will happen. The more no’s we get, the closer we are to publishing. So let us know. How many submissions do you pledge to make in the next month, quarter, year, whatever. WRITE, WRITE, WRITE . . . SUBMIT, SUBMIT, SUBMIT. Happy writing fellow scribes. See you next month. Please be kind enough to bring any incorrect data, mistakes, or omissions to our attention via amber_pickle@msn.com Or davidgreen@carrollcountyschools.com . Thank you for your patience if they exist in this issue. ADP/LDG 
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Carrollton Creative Writers' Club
