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NightScripts
June 2015
Julie Kimmel-Harbaugh, Editor
I’ve spent the last few days trying to think of something meaningful to say in my June article.
With all that’s happened in the club these last few months, I don’t know where to start. I don’t
want to ramble just to fill space, but neither do I want to appear to have nothing to say. We’ve
made so much headway with our accountability program. We’ve been communicating with each
other, exchanging ideas, helping with projects, critiquing, and so many other aspects of writing
that it’s hard to keep up.
With this in mind, I thought I’d expand on the blog I wrote for our Web site, where I ask the
question, “Who Are We?” What makes our group different from other writing groups? Why
would anyone want to invest time out of their busy lives and schedules to spend an hour a month
with us, then invest another hour a week working with an accountability partner? Is being a
Tulsa NightWriter a meaningful part of our lives? Are we only a social club or do we make a
difference in each other’s lives? I’m sure you have your opinion but here’s my reply to these
questions.
The Tulsa NightWriters is a very special organization. We’re a collection of people from
many walks of life. Our members range from very young to many decades. We’re a group of
people that take solace in the written word. We do it with poetry, mystery, thriller, young adult,
fiction, screenplay, and many genre. We’re an eclectic gathering of dreamers and plotters,
professionals and amateurs, outliners and seat-of-the-pantsers. We express our visions on paper
and electronic document. We are writers. To say we’re family might be stretching it a bit, but
we do enjoy getting together once a month or at book signing events.
Along with all of these, the NightWriters is one other thing. We’re an open invitation to
anyone with a desire to write. People don’t have to be the best, and they don’t have to be
published. They just have to want to write. They must have a desire to become part of a dream.
It was this group that encouraged me to pursue serious writing. When I came here in 2007, my
first book had just published. Now, eleven books later, I’m still as excited about improving my
craft as ever. Every time we meet, and every week when I see my accountability partner, I
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realize I don’t have to be with some big New York publishing house to be a good writer. We can
hone our craft and learn from each other and all of the valuable resources we have available.
I hope everyone is planning to submit a story, poem, essay, etc., to our NightWriter
anthology. Julie will publish the guidelines in the newsletter the next few months. We’ll need
entries from both seasoned and new members, so please don’t be shy. Let’s make this anthology
a masterpiece of NightWriter talent—a piece of literary excellence.
So who are we? We’re us. We’re the Tulsa NightWriters, a premier writing group second-tonone anywhere in the country. We make this club great. We make it shine.
____________________________________________________
In this Issue
The Prez Sez: Who Are We?
Our June Speaker: Mac Boyle
Welcome, New Members!
Meet a NightWriter—June’s Featured NightWriter
Feature Articles
Why Enter Contests
Stick to Your Outline—or Not!
Our Members Have Brags
Announcements
Submission Guidelines for the Tulsa NightWriters Book Catalog
Tulsa NightWriters Web Site Update
Writing Opportunities
Rules for the 2015 Tulsa NightWriters Anthology
Your TNW Officers—Contact Information
Meeting Schedule
NightScripts Submission Guidelines
How to Join the Tulsa NightWriters
Jim Laughter
Gloria Teague
John T. Biggs
Bill Wetterman
Editor
Bill Wetterman
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____________________________________________________
Notable Quotes
“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is
turned on.” — Louis L'Amour
“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.”
— E. L. Doctorow
“If a writer knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things
he knows. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one ninth of it
being above water.” — Ernest Hemingway
____________________________________________________
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June 16, 2015
Mac Boyle
Author
Twitter: @partyapocalypse
Martin Regional Library Auditorium
2601 S. Garnett Road, Tulsa, Oklahoma
7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
TOPIC: Getting Over the Blank Page and Mastering Your First Draft
Writer's block is a myth.
The moment you refuse to let the myth become a reality, you are already well on your
way to becoming a successful writer. While this may be easier said than done, Mac has
developed a series of simple rules that will free you from your inner critic and
maximize your writing time.
ABOUT MAC BOYLE
Mac Boyle is a writer. His books, Right–A Novel of Politics, The Devil Lives in Beverly Hills, and A
Loss For Normalcy, are available in e-book and print editions from Amazon. His new novel, Orson
Welles of Mars, is scheduled for release this fall. With Bill Fisher, he is the co-creator of The
Adventures of Really Good Man. He is also the President and Chief Creative Officer of Party Now,
Apocalypse Later Industries. In his spare time, he works for an unnamed federal agency that is 100%
NOT a cover for the CIA. He lives in Tulsa with his wife, Lora, and their boss, a 97-pound puppy
named C. J. Cregg.
__________________________
BOOKS BY MAC BOYLE
(Click on a book cover to follow the Amazon hyperlink.)
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Bob Mueller
Resides in:
Writes:
Published Works:
In Progress:
Web Site:
Muskogee, Oklahoma
I write mystery/thriller/suspense. At least it sounds like that in my
head.
The Sad Girl is available now.
Currently in the second draft of the sequel to The Sad Girl,
tentatively titled Our Version of Normal 6.
http://indefixa.ravensbeak.com
____________________________________________________
June’s
Featured NightWriter
Gloria Teague
Visit Gloria at: gloriateague
(Click on the above to open the hyperlink.)
Editor: How long have you been a NightWriter?
Gloria: I first joined TNW in 1994. I’d already had a couple of “confession” stories published in
the “Trues” when I attended Peggy Fielding’s class, “99 Ways to Make It as a Writer.” I’m sure
that’s not the actual “title” of the class, but it’s as close as I can get after all these years. After being
a member for a while, I became the editor of NightScripts for eight of those years. I’ve also been a
TNW delegate to OWFI for six of those years and even secretary for OWFI for one year. <shudder>
Editor: What do you write?
Gloria: Gosh, what haven’t I written? Recently, an author asked me to send her something about
myself to post on her blog, and one thing I wrote was, “I think, instead of writing what you know,
you should write what interests you.” My reading material is quite eclectic. I’m curious about many
things, and that’s what I write: many things. I’ve been published in different genres and enjoy
playing around with different ideas.
Editor: What are you working on currently?
Gloria: I’m currently working on a novel about a serial killer. Yeah, ain’t we all? I think mine has
a bit of a twist that would entice readers to keep reading, but, again, don’t we all feel that way?
Editor: What have you had published?
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Gloria: I’ve had eight books (different genres) and over sixty short stories and articles published in
so many different places I’ve lost track. One of my biggest thrills, though, was getting a full-page
article in Woman’s World. They even sent a photographer to my home to take pictures for the paper.
Wow. I felt so glamorous!
Editor: How did you become a published author?
Gloria: I started out (as an adult) locally. There was a contest in a regional newspaper wanting a
Halloween story. Mine won. I, then, went to the editor and asked if they’d thought about doing a
serial story, maybe for a holiday. I said I could write a story in four parts with, say, part one the last
week of November and finish it the week of Christmas. The editor said, “I don’t know. Sounds
interesting. Write it and let me see if I like it.” The title was “The Christmas Gift.” Original, huh?
After that, I thought, “I’ve been published locally; wonder if I could do that nationally.” I submitted
a story to True Story, not having enough sense to even consider reading guidelines (ah, the blissful
ignorance of new writers), and they sent a contract ten days later. It was a true story about my
daughter having twins at twenty-eight weeks and their battle to survive, when we were told they’d
die within days. I didn’t know it at the time, but it was almost unheard of to get a byline and a call
from the magazine requesting story photos, yet I received both. Later, I realized how monumental
that was. I wrote so many stories for the “Trues” that, when I told my editor I was coming to NJ on
vacation, she invited me to Manhattan to tour the magazine office and took me to lunch on Park
Avenue! By the way, the twins are now twenty-six years old and doing well, thank you very much!
Editor: What awards have you won?
Gloria: This is always hard for me because it feels as if I’m tooting my own horn. I’ve won fifteen
times in the OWFI contest—different placements, from first place, a couple of times, all the way
down to 1st honorable mention. Poetry is not my thing. <smile> I’ve won first place in three TNW
“Warm-up” contests that are held at the end of the year. And I was honored to be awarded Tulsa
NightWriter of the Year—twice.
Editor: What do you love most about writing?
Gloria: What I love most about writing is getting to be in control. I like the idea that no one lives or
dies unless I deem it so. Wow, that sounds like I need therapy, and anyone who knows me well
wouldn’t argue that point. It’s just that, with writing, no one can tell me how to do it; it’s all in MY
control. I love to let my imagination soar, and, sometimes—some beautifully delightful times—I get
to be surprised at just where it takes me.
Editor: What do you like to read?
Gloria: First of all, like millions of people, my favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird, but I prefer
contemporary writers/storylines. My favorite author is Dean Koontz, though I don’t like sci-fi.
<shrug> I like Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, Karen Robards, Lisa Scottoline, etc. I like thrillers, and,
if they absolutely have to, they can throw in a modicum of romance. I admire people that write
romance, but I dislike reading it. For me, it’s too formulaic—predictable (boy meets girl, boy and
girl fall in love, boy and girl have a conflict and either break up or come close, boy and girl resolve
conflict and live happily ever after). I like unpredictability.
Editor: Do you have a writing regimen?
Gloria: Oh, this is where the amazing Peggy Fielding would have kicked my butt. No, I don’t have
what you’d call a regimen because I’m simply a flake. I write when I want to, when the muse makes
an appearance, and some authors want to hit me for that. I might not write for days. Then I’ll write
every day for ten hours for a week. It works for me, so I’m not complaining. But note, this is NOT
what you’re supposed to do. “Butt in the chair and write e-v-e-r-y day!”
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Editor: What advice would you give to other writers?
Gloria: First piece of advice: Grow a thick skin. This isn’t an easy business, and, unless you’re
lucky as all get-out, you’re going to be rejected. If you can’t take rejection, if you give up easily, if
you’re too fragile to keep writing even when someone tells you your writing stinks, then you should
take up knitting or noodling. One agent sent me, not only a rejection for one of my books, but she
was so angry—yes, angry—that she, honest to goodness, recorded her disdain for me and my book
on a cassette tape (shows you how long ago that was) and sent it to me registered mail, so she’d
know I got my comeuppance. She told me that, not only was I a lousy writer, but my book stank
(stunk?), and I was probably going to hell for what I wrote about. Was I crushed? Did I want to
quit? You bet your sweet bippy I did. Obviously, I didn’t. In fact, I sent the cow a copy of the book
when it was published. Take that, you uptight bag of hot air! Writing is easy; getting published and
marketing your work isn’t, unless you self-publish, and then it still ain’t easy.
Tip number two: Stop making excuses. “Oh, I’m just so busy. I have to work full-time; I’ve got
eighteen children (for the love of Pete, get some protection!); I don’t feel well; my husband wants me
to do this, that, or the other. . . .” Blah de blah blah blah. Just about every one of us went through all
that. Hey, I had six stories published while working and taking chemo. Yeah, I said it. I’m proud as
heck of that. One of my earliest author events at OWFI was when I was bald, pale as death, wanting
to fall over I was so weak, but I did it. Again, I’m proud of that; it wasn’t easy. So stop making
excuses. You either want to be a published writer or you don’t. One thing you’ll find, published
authors have little patience for excuses. <smile> And, hey, good luck! It’s a hard, hard field to be
part of but, oh, the reward when you see your name in print and know that lots and lots of people are
going to read your words!
____________________________
BOOKS BY GLORIA TEAGUE
(Click on a book cover to follow the Amazon hyperlink.)
____________________________________________________
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Why Enter Contests
by
John T. Biggs
johnbiggs73162@yahoo.com
http://johnbiggsoklahomawriter.com
Last night I met a beginning writer who told me: “I don’t care about being published. I write for
my own enjoyment.”
“Being published is not so bad.” My stock answer. “It’s the process of getting published we all
hate.” We talked about a middle ground where new writers have at least a fighting chance of putting
their work before an audience.
I asked, “Why don’t you submit your work to a contest?” In a matter of seconds we were
exchanging contact information, and he was considering how much more enjoyable writing would be
if someone besides friends and family read his work. Contests are a good way to ease into being a
published writer.
Submitting an unsolicited manuscript used to be called “tossing it over the transom.” Magazines
and anthologies routinely call for submissions, and they always get far more than they can use.
Editors scan author bios for writers with a publication history and a potential fan base. If a John
Biggs short story is competing with something by Stephen King, unless I have compromising
photographs of the editor, Mr. King’s work will be selected, even if—dare I say it—mine is better.
Acquisitions editors quit sifting through the slush pile once their needs are satisfied. Your
magnum opus will go unread. You will receive a form response that explains how the publisher
always has so many more submissions than they can use, and they appreciate your participation in
their efforts but. . . . The process is discouraging, and that’s why new writers are hesitant to submit.
Contests are different. Manuscripts are submitted blind, and someone will read at least part of
each one in a timely manner. There are thousands of contests. Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc.,
conducts one every year. So do most of its affiliates. I’ve been an OWFI judge, and I read every
word of every entry in my category. That’s not difficult to do when there are sixty competitors, but
it’s impossible in large competitions with national exposure and lucrative money prizes.
Big short-fiction contests (Writers of the Future, Writer’s Digest, Glimmer Train) typically have
over 10,000 submissions for every competition. They filter entries through a gatekeeper who does
triage and passes about ten percent of the manuscripts on to the judges. The gatekeeper and the
judges (and every editor I’ve ever met) are overwhelmed. They look for a reason to stop reading and
reject entries. Fancy fonts will do it. So will format errors, excessive use of italics, ellipses, em
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dashes. Sexually explicit scenes or even using the F-word will get you disqualified in most contests
that offer publication and have a young-adult following.
If your story makes it through the initial obstacle course, it has to grab the gatekeeper’s (and then
the judges’) interest and keep them turning pages. Not an easy task when there are hundreds of
manuscripts to be read. A double-spaced typewritten manuscript page is typically 250 words, and
most stories won’t be read past that point.
You need a great opening in the middle of a compelling conflict. You need interesting characters
who change as the story progresses. You need a sense of place and time, a suitable point of view,
and a satisfying ending. These things are exactly what you need when you submit a story to an
anthology or a magazine.
Shorter is better. Most contests have word limits, and writers feel obliged to send stories that
come within a hundred words of the maximum number. I can tell you, from personal experience,
that judges are much more likely to approach a story with a positive attitude if it is closer to the short
end of the suggested word count.
I don’t recommend writing a story for a specific contest (or for that matter a specific publication).
Good fiction doesn’t follow prompts and guidelines very well. I wrote a large number of short
stories, back when I was “writing for my own enjoyment,” and submitted them to contests where
they seemed to fit. Sometimes the fit was pretty approximate.
Submissions to contests aren’t really all that different from submitting to magazines and
anthologies. Rejection is still the most likely outcome, so why do it?
Award-winning author spices up any resume. If you have a thin or nonexistent publication
history, winning a prestigious contest will put publishers in a better frame of mind when they read
your work. In all my early bios (and sometimes even now), I was quick to mention I was the Grand
Prize Winner of the 80th annual Writer’s Digest Competition. I’d throw in other wins if they gave me
more than fifty words. Many of my early publications wouldn’t have been accepted if I hadn’t been
a contest winner first.
Finding reputable contests can be a daunting task. The Internet is the best resource, but writers
have to be on guard against contests that are thinly disguised vanity presses. Here are some
suggestions:
OWFI: http://www.owfi.org. OWFI has an annual contest with a reasonable entry fee and cash
prizes. No publication associated with a win.
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com. This is a pay site ($5/month) that tracks changes in markets,
including contests. An updated newsletter comes to your e-mail box weekly.
Writers of the Future: http://www.writersofthefuture.com. This is a free contest offered once a
quarter. Big cash prize, publication, and exposure to agents and publishers. WOF considers stories
as long as 17,000 words.
Freelance Writers: http://www.freelancewriting.com/writing-contests.php. This is a compilation
of contests that range from poetry to novels.
Writer’s Digest: http://www.writersdigest.com/competitions/writers-digest-annual-competition.
Writer’s Digest has multiple competitions. The big one is the annual competition. Big cash prize,
publication, trip to New York to meet with agents.
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Lorian Hemingway: http://www.shortstorycompetition.com. This is a highly prestigious
competition open to new writers who haven’t published in a magazine with over 5,000 circulation.
Cash prize and publication for first through third prizes. Publication for first.
Frontier Tales: http://www.frontiertales.com. This is an online magazine. Readers vote on the
best story of the month, and the winner is published in The Best of Frontier Tales.
The Storyteller Magazine: http://thestorytellermagazine.com/contact.html.
Winning Writers: https://winningwriters.com/the-best-free-literary-contests/free-winningwriters-newsletter/welcome-to-the-best-free-literary-contests. This site is a great resource for
finding reputable contests, many of which are free.
______________________________
BOOKS BY JOHN T. BIGGS
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GW5A1QU
____________________________________________________
Stick to Your Outline—or Not!
by
Bill Wetterman
www.billwetterman.com
http://theheartofanovelist.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com
This topic is one that I’m asked about a lot. I’m an avid researcher, and I outline my novels in the
form of a movie script—Inciting Incident, Act 1, Act 2, Act 3, Climax, Wrap-up. I do elaborate
research before I write a novel. What pros call the sagging middle is the bane of most novels. The
novel reads great for the first fifty pages. The novel ends with tension and conflict in the last fifty
pages. The 200-plus pages in the middle are yawners.
Why? Lack of an outline and research. I create the world into which I will drop my characters
first. This world must be physically correct. If a story is set in London, then the details must be
accurate, so readers who live in London will recognize the locations. I research every building, park,
etc., for accuracy before I write about it. I read about where political meetings are held, so I don’t
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have an event in my book going on in a place where it shouldn’t. I love Wikipedia and Google
Earth.
So, you see, before my characters have life breathed into them, I’m researching and outlining my
work. This takes a lot of time and effort. The main reason an author deviates from his road is that
one or two of his characters go off on rabbit tracks—some good, some bad. Good adds to the story.
Bad causes severe rewriting and destroys the time and effort of your outline and research.
Once I’ve fleshed out the physical world and the mood of that world, I’m ready to create the
tension that will last throughout the novel. In my novel, The Fifth Step, a psychological thriller, a
prominent preacher’s pornography addiction threatens to destroy his reputation, his ministry, and his
wife’s life. External tension, an abduction of the porn star the preacher is infatuated with, and the
preacher’s wife provide this. Internal tension: All three main characters have to come to a place
where they admit to God, themselves, and another human being the exact nature of their wrongs. I
plan for this in advance, and I’m not changing it. Notice, I have not created my character profiles
yet.
Character profiles are the last thing I do. Once I’ve created the world and the tension, I ask
myself: What is each character’s view of that world? What past events shaped their personalities?
What strengths and weaknesses will cause them to succeed or fail? I research where the main
characters were born, if it’s important, the history of the area. I describe how each looks as I fill out
a character’s profile.
Then I talk to my characters. I show them the outline of the book. I set the rules. They are actors
in my play. “I’ll give you some freedom in each scene. Surprise me by showing me something
unique. However, do not sin. I am God. I determine the outcome I want. Don’t change my novel.
Enjoy yourself within your scenes.” Sin, in the world of my novel, is a character attempting to
change the outcome I’ve slaved so hard to build.
So, here, in a nutshell: DO NOT MAKE MAJOR CHANGES TO YOUR OUTLINE AFTER
YOU’VE FINISHED YOUR RESEARCH.
Now, for unashamed self-promotion. . . .
A Covenant with Death (The Peacock Trilogy—Book 3)
is coming out sometime after June 4.
It is a Christian dystopian novel.
For those of you who received an advance copy, get your reviews ready!
______________________________
BOOKS BY BILL WETTERMAN
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Right click on
a book cover
to open the
Amazon
hyperlink.
____________________________________________________
Nikki Hanna
National Indie Excellence Award
(Click on the book cover
to open the hyperlink.)
Nikki Hanna’s book Red Heels &
Smokin’—How I Got My Moxie Back won
the National Indie Excellence Award
contest. Red Heels is a humorous prose
memoir with strong messages for older
women. It is available on Amazon, Kindle,
and through www.nikkihanna.com.
______________________________________________
Through His Heart
by
Deborah Camp
Check out her novel’s trailers on her
Web site www.deborah-camp.com
or on
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=Xt5IHzhNxXs&feature=emupload_owner#action=share
Book Release
Deborah Camp’s third novel in the Mind’s Eye series, Through His Heart, will be released June
30 on Amazon. She’s busy promoting it and has scheduled three major blog tours. The first two
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books in the sexy, psychic-detective series are Through His Eyes and Through His Touch.
They feature psychics Trudy Tucker and Levi Wolfe.
(Click on a
book cover
to open
the Amazon
hyperlink.)
__________________________________________________________________
Jan Davis Warren
Touched by Love Contest Finalist
I have a brag! Yea!! I am a finalist in Faith, Hope, & Love’s Touched by Love Contest.
Just found out. So thrilled. Won't find out who wins until July. That's when RWA has their
convention. Thanks for letting me share.
____________________________________________________
Mary Coley
www.marycoley.com
Blog: www.marycoley.me
(Click on the above or on the book cover
to open the hyperlinks.)
Creative Women of Oklahoma Award
I'm proud to announce that I have been selected to receive the Creative Women of Oklahoma award
for young-adult books from the Delta Kappa Gamma International Society! This award is for my
book, Cobwebs: A Suspense Novel, which came out in 2014. I will receive the award, make a
presentation, and sign books at the Society's Oklahoma conference on June 12 in Oklahoma City.
2015 OWFI Writing Contest Awards
I was thrilled to receive the second place win for my YA novel, The Summer My Life Went Up in
Smoke. The book is set in Oklahoma and switches back and forth between a ranch in Osage County
and a summer camp on Lake Eufaula. The protagonist, Sara Kerbow, is a rancher's daughter who has
taken her first job away from home as a camp counselor. Also at home, is her younger brother, Luke,
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age 14, and her youngest brother, Austin, age 6. Her mother died when Austin was born, so, at
home, Sara serves as mother-figure, cook, maid, and ranch hand.
Sara is the typical teenager, yearning to experience more of life, but afraid of sex and getting
pregnant. She escapes to camp, hoping she'll feel happier and have less responsibility. She also
leaves behind her steady boyfriend, Nate. Of course, things at camp are not really easier. Life has its
challenges wherever we are, and we never can really leave our problems behind. Things both at
home and at camp deteriorate as the summer goes on.
Also, I was happy to receive the third place win for my middle-grade fiction novel, The Dragon's
Lair. This book is also set in Oklahoma, at the Marland Mansion in Ponca City. The story features
two preteens who are thrown together at a weekend party that their fathers attend, which also
happens to be a Fall Festival. The festival includes a hay maze and a spooky funhouse in the
mansion's basement called “The Dragon's Lair.” The two kids investigate strange events and
mysterious figures at the mansion, with disastrous effects.
____________________________________________________
Charles W. Sasser
www.CharlesSasser.com
Audiobook Release
My book, HILL 488, by Ray Hildreth
and Charles W. Sasser has just this
week been released on audio. (I wrote
Ray's story of Vietnam.)
(Click on the audiobook cover
to open the hyperlink.)
____________________________________________________
Fall From Grace
by
Tammy Lynn Acuff
(Click on the book cover to open the Amazon hyperlink.)
New 5-Star Review (Review copied as in the original.)
New 5-star review for Tammy Lynn Acuff's Fall From Grace, "An Appalachian Mystery
By eddyrapcon on May 25, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
Verified Purchase
TA's novel just goes to prove that everything on the mountain is not nice. There are shadows
behind every tree and you have to determine good from evil. An excellent read.....ER"
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Media Interview
Books-A-Daisy, LLC author Tammy Lynn Acuff was
interviewed by the Sequoia County Times! So proud of her!
http://www.sequoyahcountytimes.com/news/article_a3a6030adf8d-11e4-b5f6-4f0fa44ace3a.html
Author Event
Tammy Lynn Acuff has an author event at the Bismarck Public Library, 515 N. 5th St.,
Bismarck, ND, 58501, June 4 from 3-5 p.m.
____________________________________________________
Sarah Renee
Lonelodge
OWFI Writing Contest
Sarah Renee Lonelodge won 3rd
Honorable Mention, Category 2,
Poetry, Unrhymed-Long for her
poem titled “Widow.”
__________________________________________________________________
Bob Avey
www.bobavey.com
(Click on the above or on the book cover
to open the hyperlinks.)
Twisted Perception, the first Elliot novel, is now available in audiobook format. Here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Twisted-Perception-Detective-ElliotMystery/dp/B00XZKFWDM/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=
____________________________________________________
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Karen Marie Graham
of
(Click on the above graphic or on the book cover
to open the hyperlinks.)
New 5-Star Review (Review copied as in the original.)
Karen Marie Graham received a new 5-Star Review for Thank You, God, For Everything: A
Nursery Rhyme Picture Book: "Thank you, God, For Everything, is Inspiring and uplifting for
everyone!
By Paige on May 26, 2015
Format: Kindle Edition
Verified Purchase
Truly beautiful! This book is great for all ages."
____________________________________________________
Jim Laughter
www.jimlaughter.com
(Click on the above or on the book covers
to open the hyperlinks.)
Kindle Best Seller
Jim Laughter's true crime novel, From Victim to Hero—The Untold Story of Steven Stayner,
made it back onto the Kindle best-seller list in May.
Cambridge University Study
He also learned that his climate fiction, Polar City Red, will be used as part of a study on the
effects of global warming at Cambridge University this summer.
Speaking Engagement and Book Signing
Jim also had the pleasure of speaking to the Oklahoma City Writers on May 16, followed by a
book signing at the Full Circle Bookstore in Oklahoma City.
____________________________________________________
“Imagination is like a muscle. I found out that the more I wrote, the
bigger it got.” — Philip José Farmer
____________________________________________________
16
Submission Guidelines
for
The Tulsa NightWriters Book Catalog
(The Best Little Book Shop in Oklahoma)
What is it?: A series of supplements featuring our club members’ books. When finished, all the
supplements can be compiled to create a book catalog.
Purpose: To showcase our club members’ talent and create a means for readers to easily find
books and authors of interest.
Submission Deadline: July 1, 2015.
Submission Guidelines: E-mail 1.) your Web site link, 2.) a JPEG of yourself, 3.) a JPEG of
your book cover, and 4.) the following information (for each book) to juliekh314@cox.net.
* Book Title
* Genre
* Author’s Name
* 50-Word (Maximum) Synopsis
* Publisher
* No. of Pages
* Honors & Awards
Please Note: If you have previously e-mailed pictures to me, then write a note to that effect, and
I’ll check to make sure I have them on file.
Questions: Contact Julie Kimmel-Harbaugh @ juliekh314@cox.net.
____________________________________________________
A T T E N T I O N N I G H T W R I T E R S:
It’s Time to Update Your Link on the Tulsa NightWriters Web Site!
Our president, Jim Laughter, is updating the members’ links on our Web site. All paid
members should check the TNW Web site to make sure their link is up-to-date.
https://tulsanightwriters.wordpress.com/
Any paid member whose Web site is not on the TNW site may send Jim a link, and he’ll update
the page. Jim’s e-mail address is: jimlaughter@att.net.
17
Jackie King
http://www.jacqking.com/
(Click on the above to open the hyperlink.)
ABOVE: Agatha Banquet—Judy Rosser (King’s
Beta Reader), Jackie King, Ada (LouLou) Harrington
Fun at Malice Domestic 27
Jackie King, her beta reader Judy Rosser, and LouLou Harrington attended Malice Domestic in
May.
Malice Domestic, a yearly conference held to celebrate the vast pleasure of reading Mystery
Stories, was held May 1 through May 3, 2015, in Bethesda, Maryland. This was the 27th such
celebration and my first to attend. Unlike many writer conventions, Malice Domestic is held
primarily for readers and is called a “Reader-Fest.” Nothing is as much fun as hanging out with
Readers, since people who read are also Smart.
All writers were first readers. Nearly all who follow this profession are not only smart, they are
empathetic. The combination of readers (at the convention, they proudly call themselves “Fans”)
and writers makes the best audiences ever. These groups are attentive, receptive and
enthusiastic. It was so easy to speak to them.
(Click on the book covers to open the Amazon hyperlinks.)
“YOU COULD DIE LAUGHING” was the panel I was fortunate enough to speak with. I read each
author’s book, and each made me laugh. Here is the list:
Cindy Brown—Macdeath (If you love the theater, you’ll love this mystery!)
Nancy G. West—Fit to Be Dead (If you’ve ever struggled with your weight, imagine it with a dead
body thrown in. Fun mystery set in a gym.)
Shelley Costa—Basil Instinct (A riotously funny Italian family ever; plus recipes.)
Kathryn Leigh Scott (Moderator, standing in back)—Jinxed (I especially recommend for film fans.)
18
Tim Hall—Dead Stock (If you love vintage clothing, this is your cup of tea.)
Jackie King—The Inconvenient Corpse (No resources, no job skills and a stranger’s body in
Grace’s bed. A B&B mystery.)
Next year, this convention will be held April 29 through May 1.
Attend if you possibly can.
______________________________________________________________________________
Romney Nesbitt
Creativity Coach
Former TNW President
Romney’s Web site is temporarily
unavailable. You may contact her
by e-mail at:
romneynesbitt@gmail.com
Workshop
Romney Nesbitt will be teaching at Jodi Thomas’ West Texas Writers’ Academy, June 8-12 at
West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas. The title of her workshop is “The Writers Life:
What’s Stopping You?”
____________________________________________________
STOP THE HEAD HOP
For writers who don't want to make their readers dizzy.
Learn how to write from one person's perspective,
or add more viewpoints without confusing the reader.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
10:00 a.m. to Noon
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
$20 per person
For more information, visit the Web site:
http://jespiddlin.com/designingtheworldwithwords/stoptheheadhop.html
__________________________________________________________
19
Fiction Writing Workshop
Sponsored by
The Oklahoma Center for the Humanities and OCH Director Sean Latham
Featuring Novelists
Maya Lang (The Sixteenth of June) and Jennifer Latham (Scarlett Undercover)
Topic: How to Create and Recreate Real Cities in Fiction
Zarrow Center for Arts and Education in the Brady District
Tulsa, OK
June 15, 2015
7:00 p.m.
Free and Open to Anyone Interested
Questions: Mikayla Pevac at mikayla-pevac@utulsa.edu
____________________________________________________
Karen Marie Graham, author and owner of Books-A-Daisy®, LLC Publishing and TNW’s
own, organized the Masquerade Contest for the recent 2015 OWFI Conference. She contacted
and networked with Full Circle Bookstore, Java Dave’s, Garrett Creek Wine and Spirits, Total
Publishing, OU, and OSU to create amazing gift baskets for the winners. Books-A-Daisy also
sponsored “Category 22, Young Adult Novel: Fiction or nonfiction for ages 12 and older” in the
OWFI Writing Contest.
20
Donna Le
Writing Workshop
Donna Le will present a writing workshop from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. on
June 9 at Guthrie Public Library, located at 201 North Division
Street. Le will address writing techniques and practices to assist
writers of all levels. Le is published in Shades of Tulsa, Oklahoma:
The Fountain of the Heartland, and Beads on a String.
____________________________________________________
BOOK PANEL
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
AUTHORS
Stephanie Colburn*Charles W. Sasser*Carolyn Steele*Gloria Teague
*********
OKLAHOMA AUTHORS
8205 E. 22nd Street/Tulsa, OK/Broadmoor Retirement Living Community
__________________
Help Needed
If you’d like to help arrange future author events at Tulsa-area retirement living communities,
then please contact Tom Teegarden at: (918) 794-2222 or osagetj@gmail.com.
____________________________________________________
OKLAHOMA TOURING AUTHORS
A Sharing Resource for Oklahoma Authors
https://www.facebook.com/groups/OklahomaTouringAuthors
21
Rules for the
2015 Tulsa NightWriters Anthology
by
Bill Wetterman
bwetterman@cox.net
http://theheartofanovelist.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com
Inside the Crazy World of Words—Short Stories by the Tulsa NightWriters
Qualifications for Submissions: You must be a member of the NightWriters and OWFI.
Your story or poem must be your original work and must not have been published in any form.
The submission must be publish-ready. Use the easy-to-read 12-point font, Times New Roman,
approximately 250 words per page—about 25 lines per page.
For short stories: A short story is a brief piece of fiction or nonfiction pointed and more economically
detailed as to character, situation, and plot than a novel. They often revolve around a single theme, one
climactic event developing a single character in depth. Narrower than a novel, a short story contains
these basic elements: characters, setting, plot, conflict, resolution, climax, dialogue, protagonist, and
antagonist. All short stories should present the major character with an important problem that the
character must struggle to solve and engage the reader in caring about whether the character achieves that
goal by story’s end. 1,500 to 3,500 words.
For poetry: A poetry submission may be rhymed or unrhymed to a maximum of 35 lines.
To keep the anthology at plus/minus 80,000 words, we will accept only 26 stories. Our goal is to feature
an equal mix of published and unpublished authors. This means that 13 or more members will be able to
say, “I’m a published author.” We will consider any fiction genre, except that involving pornography,
incest, or other socially unacceptable or sexually oriented material. We will also consider any nonfiction
submission, with the same disclaimer.
All material must be in the hands of Bill Wetterman, by e-mail, no later than August 15, 2015. This
gives you time to put out your best work.
__________________________________________________________
ACCEPTING SHORT STORIES AND POEMS
Heartland Fountain LLC
Theme: Oklahoma—The Fountain of the Heartland
Submission Deadline: August 8, 2015
Anthology: http://oklahomaheartland.com/2014/10/04/submission-deadline-extended/
Submission Guidelines: http://oklahomaheartland.com/2014/04/08/ready-to-write-2/
22
Jim Laughter
President
Charles Betzler
Vice-President
Bill Wetterman
Treasurer
2015 TNW Officers
Contact Information
President………………..Jim Laughter
jimlaughter@att.net
Vice-President…………Charles Betzler
e_tech1950@yahoo.com
Treasurer……………..Bill Wetterman
bwetterman@cox.net
Hospitality…………...Pam Wetterman
pwetterman@cox.net
Editor…….….Julie Kimmel-Harbaugh
juliekh314@cox.net
Pam Wetterman
Hospitality
Julie
Kimmel-Harbaugh
Editor
2015 TNW MEETING SCHEDULE
June 16
Mac Boyle
Getting Over the Blank Page
and Mastering Your First Draft
July 21
Ryan Friend
Understanding Sentence Mechanics
August 18
Nikki Hanna
Why There Are No Writers at Career Days
* How to redefine success and find bliss through writing.
* Continuous Learning: How to be a better writer.
* Writing Fearlessly: Indulge yourself.
September 15
Donna Welch Jones
Book-Signing Events
Click on this image to connect with
TNW on Facebook.
This Web site is for the networking
and news about members ONLY.
PLEASE NOTE: We welcome any
writers who want to join our Facebook
group, but be aware that joining this
group on Facebook does not mean you
have joined the Tulsa NightWriters.
* Tips to help you increase the number of books sold at
your next signing.
* The positives and negatives of in-person events.
* A discussion of locations for book signings: the good,
the okay, and the never again.
October 20
Dusty Richards & Casey Cowan
(Saddlebag Dispatches & Oghma Creative Media)
November 17
OWFI-Contest Winners Panel
December 15
Christmas Party
23
From Your Editor
NIGHTSCRIPTS SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Deadline:
1st of the month
Specifications: Times New Roman, 12-point
Single-space
Attach graphics and/or photographs
Send to:
Julie Kimmel-Harbaugh at juliekh314@cox.net
____________________________________________________
Do you have an idea for strengthening Tulsa NightWriters?
Send any ideas, suggestions, speaker recommendations, etc., by e-mail,
to the officer of your choice.
(Right click on this banner to visit the Tulsa NightWriters Web site.)
____________________________________________________
If you’d like to join
please contact TNW Treasurer Bill Wetterman at bwetterman@cox.net.
We’d love to welcome you as a member!
____________________________________________________
The End