2019 Pennwriters newsletter - The Penn Writer September/October 2019 by The Penn Writer

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ThE NEWSLETTER OF PENNWRITERS INC. SEPT/OCT 2019 • VOL. XXVII NO. 5

Now in its seventh year:

Pennwriters Area 1 presents

A Writer’s Road Trip 7 TRANSFORM, TRANSPORT, TRANSMIT October 12, 2019 - 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pitch Your Book to a Literary Agent 17 Workshops to choose from Networking and Book Signing Writing Contest Judged by Your Peers Hot Lunch Included

VISIT www.WritersRoadTrip.com for loads of information about the event, including photos, schedule, bios, testimonials and more!

Why Attend the Writer’s Road Trip? You want your writing to shine. You want your characters to strike a chord in people. You put your heart on that page and no one understands that better than another writer. This is why writers attend conferences: to seek those of like minds; to learn from one another; to find support and know we are not alone on this journey. It’s also a chance to master the elements of composition, revision, publishing, and marketing. Why not join Area 1 members on their next Writers Road Trip? Learn from the many workshops and meet others like yourself. Pitch your work to an editor, submit an entry to the Billboard Contest, peruse the book table, or purchase a chance at a gift basket. Enjoy the included buffet lunch, relax, and have fun! This is not a virtual event. You will spend the day in beautiful, fall-colored, northwestern Pennsylvania. Who knows? This interaction could lead to discovering the writing mentor you always longed to meet, having your first book published, or learning how to finally break through to the marketing success you need to see your work succeed. Early Bird Registration by Sept. 30, 2019: $60 for Pennwriters Members / $70 for non-members

www.WritersRoadTrip.com https://pennwriters.org/a-writers-road-trip-7/#Register

Planning to take Jamie Saloff’s two-part Path to Publishing class? Let us know! A limited supply of printed books with all your class notes will be given for free to early bird registrants. (This book is not available in stores.)

President’s Column The start of cooler days at this time of year always gives me an urge to study, even though it’s been a long time since autumn has meant back to school for me. Luckily, there are plenty of Pennwriters online classes to satisfy my itch to learn. In recent issues of The Penn Writer, I’ve shared things I’ve learned from Pennwriters through many avenues. This issue, I thought it’d be fun to reminisce on what I’ve learned through our online classes. If you’ve never taken an online class through Pennwriters before, they typically last a calendar month, and they tend to be very interactive. In addition to presenting material, our instructors set assignments and provide one-onone feedback. hilary hauck, Area 4 PRESIDENT

On the admin side, Pauline Drosezki has been doing an excellent job running the online classes for the past few years, with help from Donna Royston when Pauline was co-coordinator for the 2019 Annual Conference. When I took a look back at the classes I’ve taken over the last several years, I realized that Pennwriters has made sure I could just about cover all aspects of the writing process.

NOTICE: Publication herein of articles, interviews, and news concerning markets, contests, seminars, classes, etc., does not imply an endorsement, recommendation or any warranty given by Pennwriters, Inc. Readers are urged to determine for themselves the reliability, integrity, and financial responsibility of those with whom they deal. The contents of this newsletter are copyrighted ©2019 by Pennwriters, Inc. All rights are reserved. Permission to photocopy is expressly denied. All rights revert to individual authors immediately upon publication. Any time you change your mailing address or email address, please notify Jackie Shaffmaster at Treasurer@Pennwriters.org. We thank you in advance for helping to keep our member roster current.

From Timons Esaias, I learned how to start a story. A welcome surprise from that class was that I also learned how to end a story. From Susan Meier, I learned how to plot the story arc. Thanks to Susan, my house is adorned with whiteboards covered in colored Post-It notes. I learned how to develop my characters with Alex Lidell and how to create and elevate narrative tension with Bill Johnson. With the start, end, and everything in between covered, I went on to learn how to get things published, again from Timons Esaias. I’ve actually taken Timons’ publishing class twice some years apart, and through it have created a stash of bios, cover letters, hooks, and market lists. For novel-length works, Ramona DeFelice Long navigated me through the challenging process of writing a query letter. Now armed with the tools to write and sell my stories, Deb Riley-Magnus enlightened me on marketing, and I got the low down on how to create and maintain a website from Pat Haggerty. next page

Did you remember to renew your Pennwriters membership? Renewals were due by June 30. Log in to your account at Pennwriters.org to check your status. If you wish to participate in the Writing Contest in January, you must be a member. Visit https://pennwriters.org/register.

If you have difficulty signing in, you may be using an old email address or an incorrect password. You can find help at webmaster@pennwriters.org or info@pennwriters.org. If you prefer to pay by check, you can download the PDF flyer on the renewal webpage and send a check to this address: Pennwriters, Inc., PO Box 685, Dalton, PA 18414. 2

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

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Board of Directors It always astounds me how many excellent subjects appear on the class schedule, and upcoming classes are no exception. In September, we are oﬀering Writing Your Life with Laura English. In October, Bill Johnson will be asking the question “What is Plot?” And in November, you can master a skill we can all benefit from, to Critique with Grace, with Debbi Cracovia. Details and registration, as always, are available on our website. Switching to the cogs that turn behind the scenes, the next Pennwriters board meeting will be in State College on September 28. We will cover many aspects of the organization to make sure we continue to deliver your membership benefits, and we’ll have a particular focus on updating all things tech, including our website, membership database, event registrations, and quite possibly our online classroom. If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions for the board, please email or call me. Your membership matters. Your voice matters. Thank you for reading, and thank you for your Pennwriters membership! I hope it brings you countless benefits. Pennwrite on! -Hilary

President Hilary Hauck, 814-659-6191 President@Pennwriters.org Vice President Bobbi Carducci 540-338-5064 & 540-903-6831 VicePresident@Pennwriters.org Secretary Susan Gourley Secretary@Pennwriters.org Treasurer Jackie Shaffmaster, 570-878-7056 Treasurer@Pennwriters.org Author Advocate Ayleen Gontz, 717-359-9279 AuthorAdvocate@Pennwriters.org Acting Webmaster Susan Fobes Webmaster@Pennwriters.org Newsletter Editor Heather Desuta, 412-337-6966 Newsletter@Pennwriters.org 2020 Conference Coordinators Leslie Tobin Smeltz and Ayleen Gontz ConferenceCoordinator@Pennwriters.org Interim Public Relations Chair Suzanne Mattaboni PublicRelations@Pennwriters.org Bylaws Chair Jean Jenkins, 814-774-0557 BylawsChair@Pennwriters.org Internet Activities Coordinator and Online Courses Coordinator Pauline Drozeski OnlineCoordinator@Pennwriters.org Pennwriters Presents Coordinator Denise Weaver, 814-442-4876 PennwritersPresents@Pennwriters.org

Pennwriters Online Website: www.pennwriters.org Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pennwriters/join Facebook Groups: Pennwriters; Pennwriters Annual Conference You can also join the Pennwriters LinkedIn group and follow us on Twitter.

Election Chair Dave Freas ElectionChair@Pennwriters.org Annual Writing Contest Coordinator D.J. Stevenson WritingContestCoordinator@Pennwriters.org Coordinator of Area Reps (CAR) Annette Dashofy CAR@Pennwriters.org AREA 1 Rep: Todd Main, 814-459-8752 Area1Rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 2 Rep: Position Open AREA 3 Rep: Stephanie Claypool Area3Rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 4 Rep: Denise Weaver Area4Rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 5 Rep: Sandra Bush 717-891-6412 Area5Rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 6 Rep: Suzanne Mattaboni Area6Rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 7 Rep: Terry Friedman 610-331-2558 & 843-236-8189 Area7Rep@Pennwriters.org

PW Areas Map

All areas outside of Pennsylvania are Area 7

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Pennwriters Member News & Happenings TO ShARE YOuR MEMBER NEWS, email Newsletter@Pennwriters.org with “PennWriter Submission” in the subject line. Please include your Pennwriters Area # in the message.

Area 3 Joshua David Bellin is pleased to announce the publication of HOuSE OF EARTH, HOuSE OF STONE, the final book in the Ecosystem Trilogy. Praised for its “truly immersive setting” that leaves the reader “completely engrossed from start to finish” (YA Bookers), the Ecosystem Trilogy takes place on a future Earth in which Nature has mutated into a collective sentience, driving humankind to the brink of extinction. The series, which includes ECOSYSTEM and THE DEvOuRING LAND, is available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle e-book.

After Area 7 Joe Crawford’s mystery manuscript was chosen for the Pitchwars mentorship program and featured in the Pitchwars showcase, he accepted an offer of representation from Lucienne Diver of the Knight Agency. Joe says, “The Pitchwars experience put my book over the top and jump-started my career. I highly recommend it. Of the 117 mentees this year, over 40 of us have been offered representation within two months of the showcase closing. Three mentees already have book deals signed (one was at auction).” Pitchwars mentees have their manuscripts featured in a showcase. Joe’s is here: https://bit.ly/2Lvv0Hr. His Pitchwars interview can be found online at https://bit.ly/2xuurRb. To learn more, connect with Joe– Website: www.jacrawford.net Twitter handle: @josephoforb Facebook: josephoforb

Area 1 Judy Ann Davis has released her seventh novel, WILLIE, MY LOvE, a historical romantic mystery set in Central Pennsylvania. The year is 1856. White pine is king of the forest. The last thing Jonathan Wain wants to do is ride miles through Pennsylvania’s wilderness to help his father’s logging partner in the small settlement of Clearfield. But his family owns clipper ships in the Chesapeake Bay that carry the coveted logs to the markets each spring, and they can’t afford a loss. The last thing Wilhelmina Wydcliffe wants is a handsome sea captain from Maryland meddling in her father’s logging operations under attack by unknown enemies. A fiesty tomboy and better known as Willie to her crews, she has a dream to be the largest logging operator east of the Mississippi River. When both Willie’s and Jonathan’s lives are threatened, they are forced to work together to find their enemies before both of their companies are in shambles. As their attraction escalates, can they set aside their differences, unearth the truth, and discover contentment in each other’s arms? WILLIE, MY LOvE is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, and Google Play. For more information, visit www.judyanndavis.com.

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

On August 1, Area 5 Don Helin celebrated the release of ROOF OF THE WORLD, the 5th book in his Zack Kelly series and his 6th thriller overall. Eleven o’clock at night. A knock on the door. Who would bother Cho'den, a 90-year-old Tibetan woman at this hour? Did something happen to her son, a leader in the resistance movement against Chinese control of

Area 3 Audrey Iacone, writing as Audrey Abbott, has released THE LADY'S PRAYER, the second book in the Abbey Mead Trilogy published by Soul Mate Publishing. THE LADY'S PRAYER follows Book 1, THE LADY'S DESIRE, which was released last year. To learn more, visit audreyabbottauthor.com.

Tibet? She opens the door, fearing bad news. Worse than bad news, it's the Death Angel. Suspecting a Chinese assassin to be operating on American soil, Colonel Zack Kelly is tasked to investigate the murder of Cho'den. Accompanied by Skye Tenzin, an alluring Tibetan female, the two depart for Tibet under the guise of tourists. Upon their arrival in Asia, Zack discovers someone may have betrayed them and leaked the real purpose of their visit. Zack is thrust into a whirlwind of intrigue and seemingly endless army of assassins. When Zack's host is captured and Skye is arrested, Zack breaks for the border with Nepal with assassins on his tail. Meanwhile the Death Angel continues his deadly rampage in the U.S. For more information, visit donhelin.com.

Lisa Lawmaster Hess, Area 5, has released KNOW THYSELF: THE IMPERFECTIONIST’S GuIDE TO SORTING YOuR STuFF. She presented on this topic at the Pennwriters Conference in May, so she’s especially excited to share this news with the membership. KNOW THYSELF is meant for anyone who has ever struggled to get organized. So often, people who’ve struggled with this life skill have also lost faith in themselves, which is more demoralizing than any amount of clutter. KNOW THYSELF takes a lighthearted approach to a serious topic, with the aim of building confidence alongside organizational skills by building on what we do naturally. This strengths-based approach helps readers to organize in a sustainable way, rather than merely clearing the clutter and hoping for the best. Connect with Lisa via the following: Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Jtx6aH Facebook: Lisa Lawmaster Hess, Writer Twitter: @orgbystyle Instagram: lisalawmasterhess

Area 3 Jim Knights’ novel, SOLDIER GIRL BLuE, was published in May by S&H Publishing. It’s available on Amazon.com. A young Canadian woman escapes her abusive father by disguising herself as a man and seeking refuge in the United States, a country about to be torn apart by civil war. Though able to claim neutrality as a foreigner, she finds it impossible to turn her back on an enslaved people and risks everything to continue her masquerade and join the fight to free them. As a Union soldier, she learns that neither the constant fear of being unmasked nor the danger she faces under fire can compare to the unrelenting peril she must endure as a spy behind Confederate lines. But when her lover is captured and imprisoned, she learns that love can drive her to take even greater risks. SOLDIER GIRL BLuE is based on the remarkable true story of Sarah Emma Edmunds of New Brunswick, Canada, a little known Civil War heroine.

Drop us a line and let us know what you’ve been up to. We love sharing news about our members and their activities and events.

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

Pennwriters Member News & Happenings Area 4 Jim Lee had a short story published in the hardcover children's anthology FROSTFIRE WORLDS from Alban Lake Publishing. Also, the July 2019 issue of the science fiction magazine Outposts of Beyond published three pieces of work—a book review and two previously unpublished stories from his Cygnus Alliance universe: “The Wounded Nark” and “Sarcophagus Birthdays.”

Congratulations to Area 3 Catherine McLean for her recent win with another creative pursuit: sewing. Catherine shares, “I'm still trying to process it My Silk Road Trader’s Coat just won me the Grand Champion Ribbon and Best of Show Garment at this week's Crawford County Fair (which is the second largest fair in the state - the Farm show is #1). The coat also won an award for Best Sewn Coat. This is the first time any of my sewing has won a Grand Championship! I also hope this win bodes well for a WIP of mine, a medieval romance, because my heroine will be gifted such a coat!” Nice work, Catherine.

Area 3 Ronald Scala’s novel, THE DEMON OF THE SHADOWS, is slated for a fall 2019 release by Azure Spider Publications. It is a horror novel set in Clarion, Pennsylvania. Details will follow when available.

The June and October issues of The Writer magazine include feature articles written by Area 3 Pennwriter Heidi Ruby Miller. Check them out!

Don Roberts, Area 3, has released his first novel, ECHOES FROM THE HOLLOW (published by S&H Publishing), a coming-of-age story set in western Pa. during the 1950s, anchored in the village of Whistler and its nearby Hollow. Unanticipated danger, sudden death and the threat of eternal damnation are all lurking beneath the veneer of bucolic innocence. Harry Morgan, a young kid who has to make choices and deal with the consequences of bad decisions, has a passion for knowing everyone’s business, but he’s no snitch. Keeping secrets may show loyalty, but at what cost? Meet his family and learn what PTSD was like after WW II. Feel the rhythm of country life as you meet the quirky villagers impacting his life. It is a tale full of sound and fury that does mean something: his father’s redemption is possible, and Harry’s resilience sees him through hard times. A portion of all proceeds will go to the Piarist School of eastern Kentucky. The Piarist Brothers provide an outstanding education to impoverished rural children near Butcher Hollow where Loretta Lynn was born and raised.

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Pennwriters Online Courses Visit www.pennwriters.org for details and to register for courses. For additional information or suggestions, email Pauline Drozeski, Online Courses Coordinator, at OnlineCoordinator@Pennwriters.org.

NOVEMBER Critique with Grace

OCTOBER What is Plot? Instructor: Bill Johnson

Instructor: Debbi Cracovia

https://pennwriters.org/what-is-plot/

https://pennwriters.org/critique-with-grace/

The goal of the workshop is for students to be able to create a detailed plot outline for a novel or script and to understand the mechanics of how other popular stories are constructed.

This workshop was designed for anyone who will give and/or receive critical feedback from others (writers, beta readers, contest judges, critique partners, etc.)

Many writers are consumed with the idea of creating the effect of what a plot does without first understanding what a plot is. What a plot does is raise dramatic questions a reader or viewer will follow to get answers. What a plot is, is the process of generating questions around the outcome of a story’s promise that gives a story a dramatic shape and outcome fulfilling to an audience. This workshop is designed to guide writers to an understanding of what creates a dramatic plot and to offer practical advice on how they can create dramatically satisfying plots for their stories.

Topics Covered: • The many types of critique partners, groups, contests and critiquing outlets available to writers. • What to look for when critiquing other peoples writing. • The best techniques to motivate other authors. • how to work with less than helpful criticism with grace, even when you don’t agree. • What you need to start your own critique group. • Judging a writing contest? This is what you should do.

Participants will be guided to understand a simple plot outline for some popular stories with simple plot mechanics. This outline will convey a fundamental truth of storytelling, how the elements of a story transports its audience. Writers will then be asked to use that knowledge to outline the plot of a popular story they enjoy and be guided to apply this understanding of plot mechanics on a project they are working on. The completed outline will include creating plot questions for each step of the novel. INSTRuCTOR BIO: Bill Johnson is a produced playwright, optioned screenwriter, and has read manuscript submissions for a literary agent. he is the author of “A Story is a Promise and The Spirit of Storytelling,” a workbook that explores how to create dramatic, engaging stories. he is also webmaster of “Essays on the Craft of Dramatic Writing” (www.storyispromise.com), a site that explores principles of storytelling through reviews of popular movies, books and plays. Bill has led writing workshops throughout the u.S., including the Southern California Writing Conference, Write on the Sound Conference, and the Expo Screenwriting Conference in Los Angeles.

Participants will learn tried and true ways to give constructive, professional and motivational critiques. Each participant will have the opportunity to share a short excerpt (3-4 pages) from their WIP, but only if they choose. Everyone will have a chance to offer a critique to a live submission. At the end of the workshop, we’ll see if we can find a few people who want to continue to critique each other’s work after the workshop ends. INSTRuCTOR BIO: With more than twenty years experience in the corporate world, Debbi Cracovia has trained hundreds of people in the areas of Company Policies/Procedures, Management and Sales techniques. In her role as a Manager and human Resource professional, through constructive feedback and positive critique, she has motivated employees to improve performance and feel motivated to do the best work possible. It is her wish to bring some of those techniques and methods to writers, beta readers, critique partners, and contest judges so they can give positive helpful critiques that motivate not deflate. She is a current member of RWA, hVRWA, NJRWA, FFPRWA where she is FF&P’s Mudpuddle moderator – critique group, and current OIRW Campus Coordinator. She lives and plays in the very cool state of New York and is close enough to the Big Apple to visit anytime she likes but far enough away she doesn’t hear the noise of the city at night. Email her at djcracovia@yahoo.com.

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

a look back at the 2019 Pennwriters Annual Conference

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

a look back at the 2019 Pennwriters Annual Conference

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

a look back at the 2019 Pennwriters Annual Conference

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

a look back at the 2019 Pennwriters Annual Conference

2019 PENNWRITERS ANNUAL WRITING CONTEST WINNERS NOVEL BEGINNING: 1st - Claudia Recinos for “Even Stars” 2nd - Amanda Swartfager for “Truthless” 3rd - Jennifer Diamond for “How We Spin” NONFICTION: 1st - Ann Howley for “Next Time I’ll Listen to the Sissy in the Smokey Bear Hat” 2nd - Janet Wells for “Her Christmas Gift” 3rd - Hana Haatainen-Caye - “How to Create and Maintain Joy While on Social Media” POETRY: 1st - Terry Dawley for “Sometimes I Think About Murder” 2nd - Susan Manchin for “The Lifting” 3rd - Amanda Span for “Breeze” SHORT STORY: 1st - David Bender for “Backwoods Koan” 2nd - Joy Givens for “Falling Woman” 3rd - Jennifer Birch for “The Sunshine Twins”

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

a look back at the 2019 Pennwriters Annual Conference

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

a look back at the 2019 Pennwriters Annual Conference

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

Join

. . . r a e y t x e n us

TITLE:

THIRTY THIRD ANNUAL

PENNWRITERS CONFERENCE DIRECTOR’S CUT : Taking Your Writing From Concept to Finished Product FRIDAY DINNER KEYNOTE

SATURDAY KEYNOTE

JONATHAN MABERRY DATE:

JON SPRUNK

SCENE:

MAY 15-17, 2020 LANCASTER, PA DOUBLETREE RESORT BY HILTON

JONATHAN MABERRY is a New York Times bestselling author, five-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, and comic book writer. His vampire apocalypse book series, V-WARS, is in production as a Netflix original series, to debut in 2019. He writes in multiple genres including suspense, thriller, horror, science fiction, fantasy, and action; and he writes for adults, teens and middle grade. Several of his works are in development for film and TV. Visit www.jonathanmaberry.com. JON SPRUNK is the author of Book of the Black Earth fantasy series (BLOOD AND IRON; STORM AND STEEL; BLADE AND BONE) and the Shadow Saga (SHADOW'S SON, SHADOW'S LuRE, AND SHADOW'S MASTER). SHADOW'S SON was a finalist for the Compton Crook Award and a nominee for the David Gemmell TITLE: THIRTY THIRD ANNUAL Award. Visit him online at www.jonsprunk.com, or on Facebook or Twitter.

PENNWRITERS CONFERENCE

DIRECTOR’S CUT : Taking Your Writing From •Concept Finished Product Visit www.pennwriters.org Emailtoconferencecoordinator@pennwriters.org FRIDAY DINNER KEYNOTE

SATURDAY KEYNOTE

JONATHAN MABERRY 14

JON SPRUNK

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

DATE:

SCENE:

Your Article Here BY ____________ [YOuR NAME hERE], AREA __ [YOuR AREA hERE]

Here is where your first sentence would go, followed by your second sentence, then third. Here is where you would share your work... an article about, perhaps, your path to publication... or a story about a writers’ event you attended... insights about editing your own work, or about editing a friend’s work, or a story about having your work edited... something inspirational about a lesson or lessons learned... what you love about writing, or revising, or holding a book signing... what you hate about writing, or revising, or holding a book signing... what you love/hate about any aspect of a writer’s life or living a creative life or your struggle to live a creative life. Maybe you will share something weird that happened to you that led to a good story idea... or an essay about fictionalizing your own life without alienating the friends and family you are definitely not writing about, no, not one bit... a clever, rhyming poem... an article about querying... your best or worst experience with an agent, editor, publisher, famous author, or famous anyone... an essay about a trip you took, or a trip you want to take and why. You could submit a compilation of your favorite advice or quotes about life or writing or the writing life, or about working hard and succeeding, or about working hard and not succeeding in a, b and c, the way you’d envisioned, but still kind of succeeding because of d, e and f. You can share a piece of writing about almost anything, really. The Penn Writer is always in need of your submissions. Email me at thepennwriter@gmail.com if you want to pitch an idea, a column idea, or chat about anything you’re interested in sharing with the newsletter. The Penn Writer is published bimonthly. The next submission deadline is Oct. 1. Please consider sharing your news, accomplishments, tips, great quotes, book recommendations, etc. Feel free to include relevant artwork, photos and book cover images. General word counts are as follows—articles: 800 words (1-pg), 1,600 (2-pg). For articles exceeding 1,600 words, contact the editor in advance. Blurb submissions of any length are welcome. Please type “PENN WRITER SuBMISSION” in the subject line of your email message, and don’t forget to include your Area number. Thank you in advance for helping our newsletter continue to be informative and interesting. And here is where your short bio would appear, where you can plug your work, direct readers to your website or your Amazon page, and soft-sell your writing/editing/design/marketing services. Win-win? We think so. Write something and submit it soon.

You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence. - OCTAVIA E. BuTLER

And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt. - SYLVIA PLATh

Read, read, read. Read everything – trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it's good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out of the window. - WILLIAM FAuLkNER

Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly – they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced. - ALDOuS huXLEY

A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit. - RIChARD BACh

After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world. - PhILIP PuLLMAN

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

Area 1

Area 4

Todd Main • Area 1 Representative 814-459-8752 • Area1Rep@Pennwriters.org

Denise Weaver • Area 4 Representative Area4Rep@Pennwriters.org

Meadville Vicinity Pennwriters (MVP) PLEASE NOTE NEW LOCATION: Meets 1st Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at Java Tree Cafe, 217 Chestnut St. Contact Janet Wells at wellswoodjanet@gmail.com.

The Inkwell (Altoona Area) Meets 1st Thursdays from 6-8:30 p.m. in the Altoona Area. Contact Denise Weaver at Area4Rep@Pennwriters.org.

Presque Isle group Meets 2nd Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at Tom Ridge Environmental Center on Presque Isle. Contact Todd Main at todd_main@steris.com. Shenango Valley Pennwriters (SVP) Meets 3rd Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at the Shenango Valley Library in Sharon. Contact Catherine McLean at catherinemclean00@gmail.com.

The Southern Alleghenies Writers Guild (Johnstown, PA) Meets 3rd Saturdays from noon-3 p.m. Contact Jim Lee at 814-442-1241 or jimlee.author@gmail.com. Additional groups meeting in State College:

Erie group Meets 4th Saturday, 1-4 p.m. at Barnes & Noble near the Millcreek Mall in Erie. Contact Dave Szymanowski at daveszy@adelphia.net.

OLLI Writer's Group meets monthly at the Schlow Library (211 S. Allen St.). Contact Rita Lumpkins at ritalouise@gmail.com.

Fellowship of the Quill (FOTQ) Meets every Thursday, 7-10 p.m. at Eat ‘n Park in Erie. Contact Todd Main at todd_main@steris.com.

Nittany Valley Writers Network meets 2nd Tuesdays from 6-7:30 p.m. at Schlow Library (211 S. Allen St.).

Corry writers group Meets 1st Mondays, 6:30-9 p.m. at Tim horton’s, 7 E. Columbus Ave., Corry. Contact kathy Otten at jersey.vt.1774@hotmail.com.

Area 6 Suzanne Mattaboni • Area 6 Representative •Area6Rep@Pennwriters.org Twin Rivers Writers Group Let’s welcome the Twin Rivers Writers Group as an official Pennwriters critique group. The group meets at 7 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month at the Springtown Fire Company Building, 3010 PA Route 212, hellertown, PA. Check out their Facebook page or website: www.TWIWG.org. They’re looking to expand membership in their core group. Please contact Area 6 Rep Suzanne Mattaboni at suzanne@mattaboni.com if you’re in the Lehigh Valley/Quakertown/hellertown/upper Bucks County area and would like to join them. If you are interested in forming a group, contact Suzanne.

Area 7

Nittany Valley Writers Network: The Early Risers meets 3rd Wednesday from 7-8 a.m. at The Waffle Shop on W. College Avenue. Nittany Valley Writers Network: Social meets 4th Tuesdays from 5:30-7 p.m. at Mad Mex restaurant (240 S. Pugh St.).

Area 5 Sandra Bush • Area 5 Representative Area5Rep@Pennwriters.org York Area Group The York Area Group is no longer meeting. If you are interested in starting a group in the York Area, or any other region of Area 5, contact Sandy Bush at Area5Rep@pennwriters.org. harrisburg Area Group Critique structure: Bring 10 copies of up to 5 pages, double-spaced. All genres welcome. Meets 4th Wednesdays from 6-9 p.m. at the New Cumberland Library’s back annex (1 Benjamin Plaza, New Cumberland). Contact Carrie Jacobs at carrieinpa@gmail.com or Facebook.com/4thWednesday.

Terry Friedman • Area 7 Representative 610-331-2558 • Area7Rep@Pennwriters.org Blue Ridge Group (Virginia) Meetings include critique on request, sharing resources, writing exercises and discussion. Beginning to multi-published writers welcome. Meets 2nd & 4th Wednesdays from 7-9 p.m. at the Purcellville Library in Purcellville, Virginia. Contact Bobbi Carducci at VicePresident@Pennwriters.org. Northern Delaware Group Meetings will be held monthly. All levels of experience are welcome. For details, email Cindy Callaghan at callaghancindy@gmail.com.

Area 2 Mark Boerma • Area 2 Representative •Area2Rep@Pennwriters.org Danville Group Meets 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 7 p.m. at the Episcopal Church on Market Street. Contact Dave Freas at quillracer@pa.metrocast.net.

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

Pennwriters Member News

Area 3 Stephanie Claypool • Area 3 Representative Area3Rep@Pennwriters.org AREA 3 MEETINGS: Please note: If you are a Pennwriter outside of Area 3, but would like to come to Area 3 meetings, you are most welcome. Prospective new Pennwriters members are welcome to check us out. Second Tuesday of the Month Meet-To-Chat 7-9 pm at Panera in Ross Town Center, 7217 Mcknight Road. Enjoy the company and conversation of other local writers. Come meet other writers and talk about writerly things in a relaxed environment. We’ve been having a great time. Make some new friends. Learn. Find out about stuff. AREA 3 CRITIQuE GROuPS: The Pittsburgh East Writer's Group Small, friendly critique group focusing on fiction. All genres welcome. Meets on the third Saturday of each month, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the upstairs conference room at the Monroeville Public Library. Contact Chuck Rakiecz crakiecz@verizon.net Critique Group North Eight members writing shorts, flashes, novels. Meets on the second Thursday of the month at Perkins Restaurant on Route 19 in Cranberry Township from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., including time for lunch. The group is now at full capacity of eight and is accepting candidates for a wait list. Contact MaryAlice Meli at maryalicemeli@yahoo.com. The Bridgeville Critique Group Meets the fourth Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. at Panera Bread in the Chartiers Valley Shopping Center, 1025 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA. Fiction or nonfiction WIP are accepted and any level of writer is welcome. We review one person's work each month. Work to be critiqued is sent to all group members at least a week in advance so everyone has ample time to review it before the meeting. The group is currently full but is keeping a wait list. We welcome anyone, published or not. Anyone who would like to join the group, get additional information, or come to a session to try us out and see how we work, please contact Barb D'Souza at barbrett@verizon.net. Cranberry Township Critique Group A small group focused on fiction, mainly novels, meeting at the Cranberry Library every three weeks on Saturdays at 9:30 am. This group is now at capacity. To get on a wait list or for more information contact Amy Wagner at amywagner00@gmail.com. South hills Critique Group A small group meeting one Saturday per month at 10 am in the Galleria of Mt. Lebanon. Work to be critiqued is emailed one week ahead of the meeting. There is space available. Rosemary Ray: southside27@outlook.com. JOIN ThE AREA 3 YAhOO GROuP Pennwriters who wish to stay informed of Area 3 news and last-minute updates, may join the Area 3 Yahoo Group. Joining allows you to post news of sales and new markets, ask questions, suggest discussion topics, or announce Area events of interest to Pennwriters. To join, email PennsArea3-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Area 3 Heidi Ruby Miller discussed pulp artist Gloria Stoll Karn on the documentary vISIBLE produced by Pittsburgh’s PBS station WQED. It was filmed at Seton Hill university where Heidi teaches. The clip segment about Gloria and the entire documentary about five women artists in Pittsburgh is on YouTube at the WQED channel.

WRITER’S TOOLBOX ConsCientious BuyeR type in continuing study of the decision-making tendencies of the 4 DisC buyer types to help increase our sales eﬀorts, Conscientious people follow the rules and value quality, studying and probing for facts on the product before buying. Organizations buy on performance, especially the Conscientious, and want to avoid failure at all cost. Cite reviews, testimonials, awards, and sales records to prove your abilities. How to spot them: They’ll debate you about the merits of what you oﬀer and invest a fair amount of time on your product without purchasing it. -from the book Strategic Marketing Made Easy For Writers: Optimize Your Promotions for Bestseller Results by Dr. Nate hardy, Area 6, available at Amazon.com.

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

Market News

COLuMN #133

BY JIM LEE, AREA 4, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, MARkET REPORTS

Flame Tree Press is the fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. They produce some of the best-looking print books you’ll see and have good distribution throughout the uS and the uk. Also, no agents are required. They use SF/F/h and crime fiction. For novels, they want books in those genres, 70,000-120,000 wds. They also periodically read short fiction for themed anthologies (check their guidelines). www.flametreepublishing.com/submissions.html. Likewise, Sapere Books will do business with authors who don’t have agents. This digital-only publisher wants new books and out-of-print titles in the areas of crime/mystery, thrillers, historical fiction, action/adventure, as well as historical biography and history. They apparently pay in royalties only. Part of their proposal/ submission package is an unusually large writing sample (the first 10,000 wds of the book). For more details, visit their guidelines: www.saperebooks.com/about/submissions/. Digital Fiction Publishing Corp. is a reprint-only outfit working mainly in the SF/F/h areas, along with some crime fiction. They do short story anthologies themed to the relevant genres. (Check their guides to see if any of these are currently reading.) They are also interested in out-of-print novels in these fields and are almost always open to submissions of these. For info and their submission manager, visit www.dfpcorp.submittable.com/submit. The small press Copy Pasta Publishing pays royalties (35% of gross profits) for everything from flash fiction up to 100,000-wd books. They say they do e-books, POD and audio books. After reading their guides, send a query letter. The editor is Jordan Jones. Their areas of interest are horror, SF, urban fantasy, speculative fiction, romance, society & culture, and religion/spirituality. unpublished material only considered. Read guidelines at www.copypastapublishing.com.herokuapp.com/ten-minute-pitch.

Alaska Airlines Magazine is just what you think it is: the in-flight magazine for Alaska Airlines. They pay $150-700 for nonfiction articles, 200-2,500 wds in length. They want writing with “vivid visual images, anecdotes and strong narrative flow.” The monthly likes travel-oriented work and has a number of departments. Target audience is well-educated and affluent. They sometimes pay for some expenses (agreed to when an assignment is made). All submissions must be assigned, so query beforehand. Further info: www.alaskaairlinesmagazine.com/contributor/guidelines/. These days, AARP The Magazine is the world’s largest circulation magazine. It’s aimed, as you probably know, at people aged 50+. Its stated purpose is helping its readers live fulfilling lives. They pay for a wide range of nonfiction, rates reported as up to $1/wd. They have numerous departments open to freelancers but require queries via either email (AARPMagazine@aarp.org) in the body of message (no attachments) or regular mail (AARP The Magazine, c/o Editorial Submissions, 601 E. St. NW, Washington, DC 20049). Visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/info-05-2010/writers-guidelinesaarp-magazine.html/. Plum Deluxe is a magazine dedicated to all life’s luxuries, big and small. They pay $30/article but require a query before submission. Their guides (www.plumdeluxe.com/write-for-us) include an online submission form. Gains, a website focused on fitness and self-improvement, pays $50/post (usually 2-3 pages, but they’re flexible). Pay is via PayPal, upon release. No reprints. Sub form is on the guides page at www.gains.af/contact.

The small press publisher Resurrection house is out of business. Likewise, two very small SF periodicals, The Fifth Di and The Martian Wave are kaput.

E-Book Web is an online magazine about e-books, reading and education. They use book reviews, tips for increasing reading productivity, interviews and education-related subjects. unpublished material only. Pay ranges: $50 for nonfiction (6001,500 wds), $75 for articles over 1,500 wds, $100 for interviews with authors or educational professionals. For more info, visit www.ebookweb.org/contribute/.

Religion unplugged is an online site dedicated to covering religionoriented news from all over the world. This e-zine was founded in response to many traditional news outlets discontinuing their regular religion departments. They release one post per day. Pay is $100/original nonfiction story and more if high quality photos or other multimedia are included. Query/pitch your article in advance. www.religionandmedia.org/new-digital-magazineplatform-to-showcase-religion-reporting/.

kiwanis Magazine is interested in articles on young child issues, small business, parenting, personal finance, social/humanitarian topics, self-improvement and community-related items. They like personal experience pieces and anecdotes. I’ve seen widely different accounts regarding what they pay and what lengths they prefer. I gather that they’re most open to new freelancers in very short pieces (200-500 wds). In any case they prefer queries. See www.kiwanis.org/news/share-your-story/submission-guidelines.

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

Cure is a print and web-zine focused on cancer-related nonfiction. They use 700-wd personal experience articles, as well as articles from doctors, medical researchers and freelance writers with some medical experience. You need to query for assignment. Pay is $1/wd (if used in both print and web editions) or 50 cents/wd if web-only. There’s a 50% kill fee. Visit www.curetoday.com/write. Family Chronicle is about genealogy. It’s a bimonthly that pays 60 days after publication for articles, 2,000 wds max. Pay rates: 8 cents/wd with additional $7 per photo or other visual. Detailed guides are at www.familychronicle.com/author_notes.htm. Do we have any amateur beer brewers out there? Zymurgy is your publication! The bimonthly official journal of the American homebrewers Association, a how-to oriented publication, uses articles, 1,500-2,500 wds, and payments vary according to writer experience, article length, etc. No formal guidelines are listed, but there’s some info at www.homebrewersassociation.org/magazine’about-zymurgy/. I’d recommend a query before submitting. Mysterion is a monthly e-zine of Christian-oriented SF/F/h fiction. Editors Donald S. Crookshaw and kristin Janz are paying 8 cents/wd for new stories to 9,000 wds max (4 cents/wd for reprints). They only read subs sent in the months of January and July, and pay is on final acceptance. The sub link is on the guideline page: www.mysteriononline.com/p/submission-guidelines.html. Diabolical Plots, a twice-monthly webzine of SF/F/h, recently raised their pay level to 10 cents/wd. Editor David Steffen wants unpublished material only, to 3,500 wds. For details, visit www.diabolicalplots.com/guidelines/. The literary magazine of the Maryland Institute College of Art, Full Bleed is an annual looking for nonfiction (mainly on contemporary art & design), poetry, fiction and graphic essays. They use essays and other prose to 2,500 wds; columns are 8002,000 wds and pay a “modest honorarium.” Their 4th issue will be out in Spring 2020 on the theme of “archives,” and the sub deadline is Jan. 1, 2020. Visit www.full-bleed.org/submit. Fireside Magazine uses most any genre of fiction and poetry but has a special fondness for SF/F. They want new material only. Fiction (3,000 wds max) is paid at 12.5 cents/wd; poetry receives a flat $100/poem. They do very brief reading periods. The next runs Dec. 2-6, 2019. Visit www.firesidefiction.com/submissions. Winter Tangerine is an online lit zine. They use poetry and fiction, paying a flat fee of $50. To send them 2,000-3,000 wds of fiction or 2 to 7 poems, use the Submit icon at the bottom of their guideline page. Visit www.wintertangerine.com/submit/. A quarterly, Dream Forge Magazine uses hopeful SF/F from flash length to 12,000 wds for both print and e-zine formats. New fiction appearing in both editions gets 6-8 cents/wd; online only or reprints earn 4-5 cents/wd. Genre poetry gets you $25-100 each. For further info and to be sure they’re currently open for subs, see www.dreamforgemagazine.com/call-for-submissions/.

Sci Phi Journal is a quarterly SF mag that expressly is NOT interested in character-driven fiction. Their focus is on ‘hard science’ SF and odd stuff that falls into the “fictional nonfiction” category. Read their guides (www.sciphijournal.org/indes.php/submission-guidelines/) to understand what that means and to find their next month-long submission window. Max length is 2,000 wds, no reprints wanted, and pay is 3 (Euro) cents/wd in English, 1 cent/wd for translations. Payments are sent through PayPal. The Sun is a long-established lit mag using poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. 7,000 wds is the maximum length. Pay ranges are $300-2,000 for fiction and nonfiction, $100-250 for poetry. (Their guide page provides links to samples in each category.) They take subs online (www.thesunmagazine.org/submit) or by regular mail (The Sun, 107 N. Roberson St., Chapel hill, NC 27516). The irregular webzine Compelling Science Fiction re-opens to subs on Oct. 1, 2019. They pay 6 cents/wd for unpublished fiction (1,000-10,000 wds), 1 cent/wd for reprints. Submission form and other info: www.compellingsciencefiction.com/guidelines.html. Meanwhile, another major SF/F mag, Galaxy’s Edge, is closed to subs until Nov. 1. See www.galaxysedge.com/submissions/. And yet another, helios Quarterly Magazine, is even more overstocked and not reading submissions until sometime in 2021! Deep Magic styles itself the home of ‘clean’ SF/F. That means no explicit sex, extreme violence or swearing. This quarterly e-zine pays 6 cents/wd up to 9,999 wds for unpublished work and 2 cents/wd for reprints (to a max of $200). They say they will use up to a whopping 40,000 wds—but will only pay for the above limits. All payments are via PayPal, and their sub manager is at www.deepmagic.co/submissions/. A smaller genre zine, Luna Station Quarterly uses SF/F from female writers only. Fiction (500-7,000 wds) only, no poetry. They prefer uplifting work and will take new or reprint. For guidelines, sub deadlines for upcoming issues, and a link to the sub manager, visit www.lunastationquarterly.com/submissions/ .

Info this time came from Ralan.com, FreedomWithWriting.com, Freelance writing.com, AuthorsPublish.com and my own inquiries. News tips and other info is always appreciated and will be acknowledged (or not) as the contributor wishes. -Jim

It takes great courage to write great books. Find your courage and find your voice. - kRISTEN LAMB

ThE PENN WRITER • September/October 2019 • www.pennwriters.org

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Submissions

The Mission of Pennwriters Inc. is to help writers of all levels, from the novice to the award-winning and multipublished, improve and succeed in their craft. Pennwriters, a not-for-profit organization of more than 400 members from Pennsylvania and beyond, was established in 1988 as a networking organization for published and aspiring writers of all genres. The group oﬀers an annual three-day writers conference and area events and has a strong internet presence, with email groups, online classes and social networks. Authors who meet set criteria are granted Published Author status. For more information about Pennwriters and its members, visit www.pennwriters.org or contact Hilary Hauck at President@pennwriters.org.

NEXT DEADLINE: OCT. 1 The Penn Writer is published bimonthly. Contact Heather Desuta, newsletter editor, at Newsletter@pennwriters.org. Please share your news, accomplishments, tips, great quotes, book recommendations, etc. Include relevant artwork, photos and book cover images. Word counts—articles: 800 words (1-pg), 1,600 (2-pg). For articles exceeding 1,600 words, contact the editor in advance. Blurb submissions of any length are welcome. Type “PENN WRITER SuBMISSION” in the subject line of your email message, and please include your Area number. (See the map on page 3.)