Shreveport Writers Club

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2011-10-05T08:45:00.000-05:00

This blog has been moved:

http://shreveportwritersclub.com/

Please update bookmarks accordingly.

This site will remain open primarily for archive purposes, but new updates will be sent to the link above.

September Meeting

2011-09-29T08:17:00.000-05:00

Flash writing was postponed this month due to our guest speaker, Barbara Rushing.

Congratulations to Marian Poe for winning this month's Members Only Mini Contest with her story, Without You.

The October MOMC was announced by Barbara Moore:

Write a short story of 250-1000 words (1-4 pages double-spaced) about a school prank.

We also had a great Round-Robin reading before our guest speaker.

The meeting was rounded out with a discussion by Barbara Moore about her own publishing past as well as the publishing history of her husband Troy during his life and posthumously.

*** This blog will be moving in the near future. More info to come in the near future ***

August Meeting

2011-08-27T09:21:00.002-05:00

We had four guests at our meeting - Francis Edwards, Letty Kerry, Ken Martin, and Cassie Martin.

Flash writing topics were:

- Going back to school
- Dog days of summer
- My special rain dance
- Open topic

Marian Poe won the Members Only Mini-Contest with her story, "Danger at the Mall".

The topic for this month was provided by Christy Cowden:
Write a dialogue driven scene of 500 words or less.

Jim McClain infornmed us of upcoming book signings in support of his novel Double-Team Trap (official dates to be announced):
Shreveport Elks Lodge - September
Barnes & Noble - October/November

As always, we ended the meeting with another Round-Robin reading session that showcased a lot of great writing!

***REMINDER - yearly dues of $20 are due.***

July Meeting Writeup

2011-07-18T05:57:00.001-05:00

Due to an issue with the facility (which has been resolved), the meeting was shortened, and Flash Writing did not take place.

We had one visitor - Kristi Allen.

The Members Only Mini-Contest was won by Marian Poe.

Bonnie McEwan provided us with the topic to be turned in at the August Meeting:

Write a free-verse poem of 1-50 words on any topic.

As always, the meeting was rounded out with a Round-Robin Reading session.

Since the meeting, it's been reported by Treasurer Dave Hicks that our issues with the bank. We have switched branches and spoken with more knowledgeable representatives who helped us sign up as a Not-For-Profit which helps us waive fees.

June Meeting

2011-06-26T14:13:00.000-05:00

This month's meeting started with Flash Writing. The topics were:

1) It's so hot...
2) The truth is out there
3) It was a miracle
4) My greatest invention
5) Open topic

Congratulations to this month's Member's Only Mini Contest winner - Marian Poe.

The current topic to be turned in at the July meeting was presented by Dave Hicks:

Write a fiction piece in story or play form (max 1000 words) in which a crime occurs.
3-4 pages of prose or 6-8 for script

We discussed some issues we are having with our current bank charging us fees. We are considering registering the organization as a Not-For-Profit. We need to do so in order to get a Tax ID number.

We lack the proper information on how to accomplish this, so anyone willing to help would be greatly appreciated.

We're still looking for members to bring in reflective pieces to help us organize a "talent pool".

As always, we ended the meeting with Round Robin readings.

May Meeting

2011-06-01T05:56:00.000-05:00

This month, we had one guest - Stephanie Newbern.

Flash writing consisted of the following topic choices:

1) My Momma Said
2) The Truth is Out there
3) It Was a Miracle
4) My Greatest Invention
5) Anything is Game

We discussed options for adding critiquing to our meetings. More to come on that in upcoming meetings.

MOMC - Congratulations to Marian Poe for winning this month's contest!

The topic for this month was presented by Christy Cowden:

Write a historical fiction piece of 1000 words or less.

As always, the meeting was rounded out with presentation of Making a Mark pens and Round Robin readings.

ATTENTION:

Members attending the June meeting are asked to bring a short writeup or background on themselves. What resources can you bring for other writers in the group? What interests and activities are you involved in? How can another writer use you as a resource?

April Meeting

2011-04-14T06:51:00.000-05:00

Guest speaker Jackie Lewis spoke to us about her writing endeavors as a local unpublished author as well as Editor of Minute magazine. Her talk was followed by a fascinating Q&A session.

Marian Poe told us of the Arkansas Writer's Conference and her contributions to Flashlight Memories, an anthology featuring work by her and Becky Haigler.

This month's Members-Only Mini Contest winner is Christy Cowden.

Cheryl Floyd presented the topic for this month:

Write a 750-1000 word short story in the genre of dystopia.

Dystopian stories are often set in the future and feature or have as the setting a society of bad circumstance in including oppressive control by the government, social conformity with no individualism, yet purport utopian achievement. Opposite of what one would call a "utopia" or perfect society of laws, customs, politics, and conditions.

Does not have to be futuristic.

Emphasize the setting or a protagonist's plight. Does he or she overcome as in the Giver, or succumb as in 1984?

As always, the meeting ended with a rousing Round-Robin session.

Flash-writing was pre-empted this month to accomodate time for our guest speaker.

March Meeting

2011-03-21T05:19:00.001-05:00

We had four guests at the meeting - Anil Minocha, Jana Ferguson, BIlly Neill, and Laurie Powers.

Guest Speaker Jim McClain talked to us about the process of self-publishing his book, Double-Team Trap, followed by a lively Q&A.

Barbara Moore won this month's Members Only Mini-Contest. She also presented us with a new topic:

Write a short story of 500 words or less involving all five senses.

Upcoming MOMC presenters were listed as:

April - Cheryl Floyd
May - Dave Hicks
June - Pam Raintree

Flash writing topics were presented by Christy Cowden:

1) That's Awesome
2) My Favorite Character
3) Mardi Gras
4) My Momma Said
5) Open topic

As always, the meeting was rounded out with another spectacular Round Robin reading.

The club would also like to extend get well wishes to Marie Brass and Shirley Brown. Hope you both feel better soon!

February 12 Meeting

2011-02-20T11:05:00.000-06:00

Phillip Volentine presented us with a skit entitled Megapixel Moment.

Flash Writing topics were presented by Barbara Moore:

1) Tell about a phrase evocative of your childhood, i.e. something your mother or father said
2) Write about a weird word you like (It has to be a real word)
3) If your name were a city anywhere in the world, what city would it be? (Paris, San Antonio, London, Hong Kong, Shreveport)
4) The kiss wasn't quite what I expected
5) Who is to blame for the Arizona shootings

We discussed compiling a history of the club (possibly on this page), and culling together various documents and other published works from and about the club. We will continue to work at getting a comprehensive club history documented.

Congratulations to Bonnie McEwan for winning the Verna Lee Hindgardner Award! Judge Sonia Coman Costanza remarked on her haiku, "In just seven words, this poem encapsulates a world of hope, transience, and change."

Marcy Simmons provided us with this month's Members Only Mini-Contest:

Hurricane Katrina was a devastating storm that will never be forgotten - it wrecked the lives of thousands, leaving them homeless and mentally shaken while killing hundreds more. People's lives were shattered, ripped apart, and life in the Big Easy became a living nightmare for those left stranded in its aftermath. It affected the nation in so many ways. Look at the picture (below) of real people after the storm and write a 500 word Fictional Narrative from the viewpoint of one of the young men in the photo - what was he feeling? What did he go through during the storm? Did he lose family members? Was he hungry? What was he feeling as he was trying to keep the battered boat afloat? Do you suppose hte other young man may have been his brother, son, or best friend? Suppose they had been trapped for days, and found the boat floating by in the garbage and rubble that floated through the streets. What was the one young man's reaction and how did he salvage the boat? Did he see this as their only tool for survival? Do you think he may have cried at some point and thought it was hopeless? Give him a fictional identity.

The December Mini-Contest was held over, so no winner was announced at this meeting. However, Bonnie McEwan added some flourish to the pass-around trophy:

The meeting was concluded, as always, with Making a Mark pens being distributed and a rousing Round-Robin reading.

Notes for upcoming meetings:

The April meeting will NOT be moved due to the conflict with the Christian Readers and Writers Conference.

Our March speaker will be Jim McClain, author of Double-Team Trap. He will also be bringing copies of his book for sale at $20 each.

Our April speaker will be Jackie Lewis, Editor of Minute Magazine.

Best wishes go out for a speedy recovery to Marie Brass who fell and injured herself recently. We all look forward to seeing her again at a meeting soon!

February meeting rescheduled

2011-02-09T19:28:00.000-06:00

Due to weather cancellation, the February meeting for the club has been moved to this Saturday, February 12th. Same time, same location.

January Meeting

2011-01-17T19:31:00.000-06:00

We welcomed visitor (and now new member) Angela Wells.

Flash writing topics were presented by Bonnie McEwan:

-What do you think about the birds falling from the sky and the fish floating ashore?
-What happens to me during The Winter Solstice?
-If I could change one thing about myself it would be...
-Who is my hero? Why?
-What can I do about the one thing or person that (which) really irritates me?

Congratulations to Bonnie McEwan for winning the December Members Only Mini-Contest!

The January MOMC has been extended to be turned in at the February meeting. John Brizzi has provided the following topic:

Write a short piece of 500 words or less that is dialogue-driven.

MOMC topics will be provided by the following people in upcoming months:

February: Marci Simmons
March: Barbara Moore
April: Cheryl Floyd
May: Dave Hicks

Making a Mark pens were given out to Marie Brass, Shirley Brown, and Carlos Colon

Phillip Volentine distrubuted Minute Magazine, featuring a column he writes.
Barbara Moore demonstrated the Flip Dictionary, which led to a discussion of book resources

Lee Adams gave a motivational speech about writing that made everyone smile.

Outgoing President Becky Haigler was presented with an engraved pen and pedestal as a thank-you for her hard work and dedication under her tenure as club President.

Incoming President Christy Cowden announced the appointment of Phillip Volentine as the new club Vice President.

As always, the meeting ended with a resounding round robin reading session.

Annual Holiday Party

2010-12-14T19:54:00.004-06:00

On December 4th, we had our annual holiday party. A great time was had by all as we read holiday stories, ate, and made merry!

Regular business: Phillip Volentine collected submissions for the song lyrics Members-Only Mini Contest after he presented his song "Movin' On". Barbara Moore announced Marcy Simmons as November's Members-Only Mini-Contest winner for her story based on the lighthouse picture presented at October's meeting.

John Brizzi announced the theme for December's contest - "Write a short story of 500 words or less that is dialogue-based."

Pictures to be added soon!

Many of you asked for Julie Brizzi's hummus recipe. Here it is:

Red Pepper Hummus

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained
1 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers in water, drained - reserve liquid
juice of 1 small lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Put everything in a food processor and puree until smooth, gradually adding a tablespoon or two of liquid from red peppers until mixture is slightly fluffy. Transfer to serving bowl and chill 1 hour.
Garnish with fresh parsley.

Meeting Summary - 11-6-10

2010-11-07T11:22:00.001-06:00

The meeting began with a flash writing provided by Marie Brass with the following topic choices:

1) Thansksgiving - traveling, food, family dynamics, appreciation thoughts, eating out, or whatever else.
2) The Chilean 70-Day mining drama, ending with a flawless rescue.
3) If you were in line to tell Santa what you'd like for Christmas, what would be on your list?
4) Do you listen to public radio? What are your favorite programs? Why?
5) What is your usual way of successfully having an article written in time for the SWC meeting?

Bonnie McEwan volunteered to provide the flash writing topics for January (There will be no flash writing at the December holiday party).

Congratulations to Cheryl Floyd for winning this month's Member's Only Mini-Contest!

Phillip Volentine gave a demonstration on songwriting and provided the topic for this month's MOMC:

"Write a song consisting of lyrics with chorus and verse, eight lines minimum, twenty-eight lines maximum. Any style or genre will be considered."

MOMC topics will be provided by John Brizzi in December, Marcy Simmons in January, and Christy Cowden in February.

Making a Mark pens were distributed to Dave Hicks, Phillip Volentine, Marie Brass, Bonnie McEwan, Becky Haigler, and John Brizzi.

The meeting ended with a spectacular round-robin reading.

It is with regret that we announce the departure of Becky Haigler as President of the club. She will be moving to St. Louis, MO after the holidays. Please welcome Christy Cowden as our new President.

Meeting Summary - October 2, 2010

2010-10-03T18:05:00.001-05:00

This month’s meeting started with flash writing. The topics this month were provided by Dave Hicks: “The Drought”, “Watching day-time television”, “Give (to) me”, “Driving down my street”, “Election Day”, and “Topic of your choice”. Marie Brass has volunteered to provide the flash writing topics for next month.

Marcy Simmons gave writer’s tips to the group on the topic of “Using entries in Writer’s Market”.

The Committee on Conferences/Contests met on September 18th, and decided that we will not be hosting a conference at this time due to other local groups holding conferences in the next few months. The committee has decided to wait until the club grows some more before attempting to hold our own event, but discussion continues for the club to host something mid-2011.

The Club is expecting some changes to the board in the near future. Becky Haigler will be stepping down as President after her move to St. Louis around the end of the year, and Christy Cowden will be assuming the role of President. Christy will be speaking with individuals, per the by-laws, to assume the role of Vice-President.

The annual Christmas Party will be held either the first or second weekend of December from 11 am to 1 pm (official announcement to be made next month!). Members are welcome to bring a guest, some finger food snacks, and a favorite holiday story to read.

Congratulations to Marcy Simmons for winning last month’s mini-contest! The topic for this month is: Write a fictional story of 500 words or less about the following picture:

Entries are due at the next meeting.

Making a Mark pens were distributed to the following members for their writing submissions/successes: Phillip Volentine, Bonnie McEwan, Marie Brass, and Marcy Simmons.

The meeting ended, as always, with Round-Robin readings from members.

September 4th Meeting

2010-09-08T11:55:00.013-05:00

At left, see the terra cotta sculpture created by PAMELA RAINTREE which will serve as traveling trophy for our monthly MEMBERS-ONLY MINI-CONTEST. Thanks to MARCY SIMMONS for the photo! BECKY HAIGLER got to take home THE MUSE figure for "Summer Dress," her entry in the August contest themed "Summer in Shreveport / Bossier."

Several members turned in flash fiction entries for the September contest. The winner, announced at the October meeting, will take home THE MUSE next.

BONNIE McEWAN presented the next assignment--a nature haiku (include a seasonal cue) of three lines, with 17 or fewer syllables but not limited to the old 5-7-5 format. Bonnie shared several websites, including wikipedia, where writers not familiar with modern English haiku can find information. Since haiku are not titled, include the first line of the poem on the entry coversheet--no personal info on the poem itself.

We welcomed visitor/new member CHERYL FLOYD. Treasurer DAVE HICKS distributed the updated roster and gave the Treasurer's report. Meeting minutes for July and August were distributed online prior to the meeting and future treasury reports will be shared the same way, with opportunities for questions or corrections in the meeting time.

FLASH WRITING topics were presented by BECKY HAIGLER and an entertaining variety of work was shared after the writing time. Contact Becky to volunteer to prepare FLASH WRITING topics for October.

MAKING A MARK pens were distributed to members who entered the Members-Only contest and/or had submitted work for publication since the last meeting.

The meeting concluded with ROUND ROBIN READING, after which several members enjoyed continued conversation with lunch at the Boomtown Buffet.

Notes from August 7 meeting

2010-08-16T16:19:00.008-05:00

Many thanks to Vice President CHRISTY COWDEN who had to carry the August 7 meeting alone, as all the other officers were out of pocket! Several faithful members were also out sick, including SHIRLEY BROWN, ROSE COX, DONNA STONE, and BONNIE McEWAN. However, it sounds as if the meeting went well, with good attendance in spite of the many who could not be there. If we could get us all together at once....

The new meeting place at Bossier Arts Council was adequate in some ways but reported to be very unkempt. We will talk with the management there before our next meeting.

We welcome several new members this month, including CATHY AMY, MARJORIE BULL, and MARCY SIMMONS.

Thanks to MARIE BRASS who provided Flash Writing topics this month.

CARLOS COLON brought a copy of BRENDA FRIED’s new book Bridging the Gap of Faith, which he helped edit. Brenda joined SWC at the December meeting/party, but has not been able to attend often. Visit BrendaFried.com for more information.

CHRISTY COWDEN provided information on screen writing format and shared some examples. She suggested the purchase of Syd Fields screen writing books, such as Screenplay: Fundamentals of Screenwriting, for those interested in that genre.

PHILLIP VOLENTINE shared some examples of his songwriting, including a recording.

MARCY SIMMONS shared a website members may want to investigate: fundsforwriters.com

We hope members are ruminating and getting ready to write something for the September Members' Only Mini-contest. The theme is 'flash fiction,' an extremely brief short-story form. See this wikipedia entry for more on the genre: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_fiction
Our resident flash fictionista is PAM RAINTREE, who holds to the 300 word limit for flash fiction, but the September contest was announced as a 500 word limit. Remember to prepare a cover sheet for your entry with name, title and contact info. Your name should not appear on any page of the actual entry. (By the way, Making a Mark SWC pens are being awarded to all who participate in the mini-contests.)

P.S. this blog needs more photos! Anyone who'd like to catch a few faces at the meetings?

IN TRANSITION

2010-07-05T19:53:00.005-05:00

MORE CHANGES IN MEETING PLACE
There is a saying that the only constant in this life is change. We're beginning to feel that may be true for Shreveport Writers Club! After many years of meeting at the same time, in the same place, we made a series of decisions this year to alter our meeting date, time and place, for a variety of reasons.

Some of those changes are working well, but unfortunately the issue of our meeting place is proving difficult. After two months, our new location informed us we would need to start making some contributions for the use of the facility and suggested we 'pass the hat' at meetings. However, our first contribution in that mode was pronounced insufficient and a request was made for $50 for each use of the space. Given our current membership, that fee is impossible as twelve meetings would take us past the amount of our annual income!

The SWC executive board did quite a bit of research and has found that free meeting space is nearly impossible to find, and where it exists it is not reliable, as far as our being able to claim priority on a regular basis. Our best option for the short term is the Annex building of the Bossier Arts Council, 630 Barksdale Boulevard in Bossier City, which we can use for a fee of $20. The space is large, easy to access on the ground floor and has ample parking very close to the entrance at the back of the building. This is also the location of the East Bank Theatre. If you are not familiar with the area, drive by before August 7 to learn the best route for you and plan to meet with us there August 7, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

MINI-CONTESTS
Now something fun! SWC members have accepted a suggestion from the board that we try some monthly mini-contests, open to paid members only. Volunteers will take turns choosing a topic or genre or writing exercise to assign each month. Members may participate for no fee and will bring their entries to the following meeting. The member who initiated the contest will find a volunteer judge, someone who enjoys reading and who will remain anonymous. The judge will be asked simply to read all the entries and pronounce one the favorite. Pamela Raintree has offered to create a traveling trophy/vase to go home with the contest winner each month.

For August, members may write a personal essay of 1000 words or less on the theme of "Summer in Shreveport/Bossier." DAVE HICKS proposed the topic and will find a judge. Bring your essays to the meeting with a cover sheet including the title, your name and contact info. No personal information should appear on the pages of the essay. At the September meeting DAVE will bring back the essays and the judge's selection and our first monthly winner will take home the traveling trophy.

In the meantime, other volunteers will make assignments for mini-contests in August and September, etc., so there is always a little friendly competition in the works, just another way to keep us writing.

DUES
We welcome new SWC member JOHN BRIZZI. As of the July meeting, Treasurer DAVE HICKS reports we have 17 paid members. If you are not one of them, please plan to get your dues paid by the August meeting. New rosters will be distributed in September and we want to include you. Also, you are only elegible to share in Round Robin Reading, Making a Mark submission awards, and now the new mini-contests if you are a paid-up member!

June meeting

2010-06-13T18:31:00.000-05:00

SWC met Saturday, June 5, under the able leadership of new VP CHRISTY COWDEN. We welcomed visitor John Brizzi. Members passed an amendment to the bylaws which made some minor changes in assignment of officer duties.

Membership fees for 2010-2011 are DUE NOW! Several members paid dues at the June meeting. Others are reminded to take care of that quickly, as new rosters will be distributed soon and only paid members will be included. Also, some of our activities are reserved for members only, such as Making a Mark awards and Round-Robin Reading. Members will also enjoy reduced contest fees for the 2011 contest and will be able to participate in some mini-contests planned for members only this year.

MARIAN POE and BARBARA MOORE agreed to serve on the planning committee for a one-day conference to be held in conjunction with the 2011 Shreveport Writers Club contest. A third volunteer is sought for early planning. President BECKY HAIGLER will join the committee as well. Please let one of these ladies know if you would like to be on the core committee, or if you just want to contribute some suggestions for the event and logistics of the conference/contest.

Members voted to make a memorial donation to Willis-Knighton Hospice in honor of Marjorie Clayton.

New bookmarks with updated meeting information were distributed. Members are encouraged to watch for opportunities to share them with potential members.

New Officers!

2010-05-01T23:15:00.000-05:00

SWC members enjoyed an informative presentation by area author WINNIE GRIGGS on making effective transitions in writing. We also welcomed new member PHILLIP VOLENTINE.

After Winnie's presentation, our business meeting included election of officers for the next two-year term. BECKY HAIGLER will serve another term as President, CHRISTY COWDEN will serve as Vice President, PAMELA RAINTREE as Secretary, and DAVE HICKS will be our new Treasurer. Becky expressed thanks to out-going officers VP SHIRLEY BROWN, Secretary BARBARA MOORE, and Treasurer JUNE DOWIS. June has actually served the club for three two-year terms.

The club approved a proposed amendment to the bylaws to make our meeting time a half-hour later, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. New information pages for visitors and new bookmarks with meeting info will be available next meeting.

Membership dues should be paid in June. This $20 fee is virtually our only source of income. Members who do not renew in June will receive a reminder in July. If dues are not received by the August meeting date, the member will not be included in the new roster to be made available in September. Thanks for taking care of this obligation quickly.

Author Winnie Griggs at May Meeting

2010-04-21T08:23:00.000-05:00

WINNIE GRIGGS, Louisiana author of historical romances, will be our speaker for the May 1st meeting. Winnie is an officer in other local writers' groups and has been a key figure in the Author! Author! events held each summer at the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium.

There are also some important items of business to deal with after Winnie's presentation. We will be voting on a suggestion to amend the bylaws to move our meeting times to 10:30 a.m. And, we will elect new officers for the next two-year term.

As always, members may bring copies of work in progress to share for Round Robin Reading at the end of the meeting.

IMPORTANT CHANGES FOR SHREVEPORT WRITERS CLUB

2010-02-28T22:35:00.000-06:00

As announced at the January meeting and by email notices to members, we voted at the February meeting to amend SWC bylaws regarding meetings. Several of our active members had requested a change so they could participate in another group whose meetings conflicted with ours. We have also been outgrowing the library classroom where we have met for some time.

We will begin meeting the FIRST SATURDAY of each month, Saturday, April 3, 2010. There will be NO MARCH MEETING. The new amendment does not stipulate a meeting place, so that each board may secure appropriate meeting places without having to amend the bylaws. We have an invitation to use the facilities of the Karpeles Manuscript Museum at 3201 Centenary. We will convene there in the lower floor on April 3. Meeting time remains 10:00 a.m. to noon.

Two visitors to the February meeting decided to become members and we welcome Christy Cowden and Lauralee Lehr to SWC.

Results of the 2009 Shreveport Writers Club Contests

2009-12-13T07:41:00.000-06:00

The Christmas Party/Awards Ceremony on December 12 was a wonderful event! We started partying at 11:30 to the wonderful music of SWC member BILL CONLY, below right, and his talented friend, BOB JORDAN, below left.

Our PR lady, BONNIE McEWAN, below right, was on the job and captured many photos of the event, as did writer SARA BURROUGHS, below left, in blue receving her award for 2nd Place in the Non-fiction category of the contest from President and Contest Chair BECKY HAIGLER. All photos in this post are used by permission of these two ladies. Thanks!

A little after noon, we interrupted our noshing and noodling to award prizes for the 2009 contests. Results, below, are followed by more photos of the awards and the party. Names in all caps in the winners' lists are SWC Members.

Non-fiction Category:
1st Place, $50, Meg Bearden, "A Complete Compulsion"
2nd Place, $30, Sara Burroughs, "How I Went for a Bike Ride..."
3rd Place, $20, Maddie Layton, "Envelopes"

Remainder of Non-fiction Top Ten, alphabetized by author's last name:
Bettiann Clark, 2X; Orville Jensen; BILL CONLY, 2X; Caitlin Sattler

Fiction Category:
1st Place, $50, SHIRLEY BROWN, "The Long Goodbye"
2nd Place, $30, C.J. Clark, "One Last Wish"
3rd Place, $20, PHILLIP R. GREEN, "The Sound of Silence"
At left, PHILLIP GREEN receives his award from President BECKY HAIGLER.

Remainder of Fiction Top Ten, alphabetized by author's last name:
Bill Allen; Irv Heard, 5X; Clark Strayhan

Unrhymed Poetry Category:
1st Place, $25, MARIE BRASS, haiku--windy spring day
2nd Place, $15, Orville Jensen, "That Inner Rage"
3rd Place, $10, Orville Jensen, "To Son Jim"
Honorable Mention, Shantelle Jefferson, "Our Love Is"

MARIE BRASS, right

ORVILLE JENSEN, left

Rhymed Poetry Category:
1st Place, $25, Irv Heard, "Jive in Hive Five"
2nd Place, $15, BILL CONLY, "The Lone Nerd"
3rd Place, $10, BILL CONLY, "Call 9-1-1"
Honorable Mention, Irv Heard, "The Little Harley Dog"

Address contest questions to shreveportwriters@hotmail.com

Awards and critiques will be mailed to winners named above who were not at the party. Winners have been invited to read their work at the January 30th meeting of Shreveport Writers Club.

Thanks to all who entered this year's contest, to our judges, and all who came out to celebrate with us.

After the awards we enjoyed holiday-themed readings by DAVE HICKS,below left; PAMELA RAINTREE,below right; BONNIE McEWAN; and MARIE BRASS.

Above, left, new member BRENDA FRIED, with Secretary BARBARA MOORE, at right.

BONNIE McEWAN, below left, and BOBI CARR.

KATHRYN WOLFE, at left, with GIL MOORE

Above, MARIAN POE, at left; BARBARA MOORE, Secretary, center; JUNE DOWIS, Treasurer, right

Above, DONNA STONE, left, and SONJI ALEXANDER, right

MARIAN POE, left
CARLOS COLON, right

Christmas Party and Contest Awards Event!

2009-11-30T14:29:00.000-06:00

Hope your calendar is already marked for Saturday, December 12, 11:30 a.m to 1:30 p.m. for Shreveport Writers Club annual holiday festivity! This year we will also be honoring the winners of our biannual contests. The fun will take place in the community room at the front of the Broadmoor library branch, 1212 Captain Shreve Drive.

Last year, the party time just flew by and we have even more fun to enjoy this year. SWC member and professional musician Bill Conly and a friend will be playing music for our greeting and grazing time. Please bring a small platter of FINGER FOOD snacks to share -- no forks available! The club will provide drinks and paper goods.

There will be some time for SWC members to read SHORT holiday-themed writings, but we are asking you to keep selections to one or two pages so we have time to hear from those who want to share.

The awards ceremony for the 2009 Writing Contests will be an important part of the party. We had several entrants, and some winners, who are not SWC members and we expect some of them will be with us on the 12th. All first-, second- and third-place winners will be invited to read their selections at the first SWC meeting of the New Year, January 30.

October Meeting and Holiday Changes

2009-10-31T18:22:00.000-05:00

At our October meeting, we welcomed new member Dave Hicks whose specialty is poetry. We heard one of his pieces at Round Robin Reading time and look forward to more of his work. Shirley Brown's Flash Writing topics elicited some fun writing, as did Bonnie McEwan's Writers' Tips on characterization.

Don't forget that Shreveport Writers Club meetings in November and December will NOT be on the fourth Saturday! In November, we will meet on the 21st, before Thanksgiving, at our usual meeting time of 10 till noon. In December, the meeting will be a Christmas party, combined with the awards ceremony for our contest, on Saturday, the 12th. We'll have the community room at the front of the library from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Start creating a short Christmas/holiday piece to read, or find an old favorite by an author you admire. In either case, remember we'll be a little pressed for time, so keep it short!

September Meeting

2009-09-27T08:32:00.000-05:00

Shreveport Writers Club met Saturday, September 26. We greeted visitor Ayanna Smith and welcomed new members Sonji Alexander and Donna Stone.

SWC member and former president, MARIAN POE, right, spoke on "Vapor vs. Concrete," and led us in some activities to practice making our writing vivid and compelling. Marian has had a long writing career and told about "reinventing" herself as a writer several times, to meet both market and family demands.

Several contest entries were received by hand at the meeting. A final count has not yet been made, but all categories of the contest "made" except that of Novel Excerpt. Only one entry was received and the entry fee will be returned. Submissions will be sent to judges in a few days. Winners will be announced and prizes awarded at the Christmas Party, December 12. Reserve the date and watch this space for more details. Contest results will also be posted here December 13.

2009 Contest Rules

2009-06-08T11:51:00.000-05:00

Rules and entry forms for the 2009 SWC Writers' Contest are posted below so you may highlight and copy them. You may also request MSWord attachments of the documents from shreveportwriters@hotmail.com or by sending a self-addressed, STAMPED envelope to the Contest Coordinator at the address below.

Shreveport Writers Club
Contest Rules 2009

1. All entries must be original work of author and unpublished as of September 19, 2009. Entries may not have won any prize in previous SWC contests.

2. All entries must be printed in black ink (font size 12 or 14) on one side of 8 ½” x 11” white paper only. No fancy fonts.

3. Prose entries must be double spaced, one side of paper only, with one inch margins. Poetry entries may be single spaced.

4. On each page of manuscript type title and page number (if more than one page) in upper right corner. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON ANY SHEET OF THE MANUSCRIPT. AUTHOR’S NAME GOES ONLY ON THE COVER SHEET, so entries may be anonymous to judges.

5. Each entry must have a cover sheet. Use a separate cover sheet for each entry. Put author’s name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and TITLE of manuscript in center of cover sheet. Below that, list CATEGORY and word length for prose or line length for poetry.

DO NOT PUT AUTHOR’S NAME ON ANY PAGE EXCEPT COVER SHEET.

BE SURE TITLE OF MANUSCRIPT IS ON COVER SHEET.

BE SURE EACH PAGE OF MANUSCRIPT HAS CORRECT TITLE AND
PAGE NUMBER (if more than one page in length.)

Fasten cover sheet to each entry with a paper clip. DO NOT STAPLE ANYTHING.

6. Correct entry fee must accompany each entry. Make checks payable to Shreveport Writers Club. YOU MAY SUBMIT MULTIPLE ENTRIES IN ANY CATEGORY, with proper fee for each included in a single check, and in a single envelope.

7. Entry fees:

SWC Members// Non Members:

Poetry: $5 per entry//$7 per entry

Prose: $10 per entry//$15 per entry

8. Entries that do not conform to rules may be disqualified and discarded, no fees returned.

9. No entries will be returned. Entries received after the deadline will be discarded but checks will be returned. Decisions of judges will be final.

10. Any category that does not receive at least five entries will be declared “No Contest” and fees will be returned to entrants.

11. Categories:

Rhymed poetry or poetry in formal forms – 32 lines maximum

Unrhymed poetry – 32 lines maximum

Non-fiction, including personal essays of Memoir/Nostalgia/Inspiration – 1500 words maximum

Short Fiction – mainstream or genre, including Mystery/Suspense, Romance, Western, Sci/fi or Horror, Historical, Young Adult, etc. No erotica. 3000 words maximum.

Novel Excerpt – same genres as above. 3000 words maximum, from the beginning of the novel, plus an additional one-page, double-spaced summary of the entire plot.

12. Prizes to be awarded in each poetry category:

First Prize - $25.00
Second Prize - $15.00
Third Prize - $10.00

13. Prizes to be awarded in each prose category:

First Prize - $50.00
Second Prize - $30.00
Third Prize - $20.00

14. Top ten entries in each category will receive a written critique.

15. Deadline: SWC must receive all mailed submissions no later than September 19, 2009.
Mail entries to:

Shreveport Writers Club
Contest Coordinator
P.O. Box 544
Shreveport LA 71162

OR entries may be hand-delivered to club meeting at Broadmoor Library in Shreveport,
on September 26, 2009.

16. Awards of First Place, Second Place and Third Place for each category will be presented at the SWC Christmas Party and Awards Ceremony on December 12, 11:30 a.m., location to be announced. Winners unable to attend will receive checks and critiques by mail.

17. A complete list of winners, including top ten entries, will be posted at http://shrevewriters.blogspot.com on December 13, 2009. Top ten critique sheets not picked up at the awards luncheon will be mailed.

Shreveport Writers Club 2009 Contest Entry Form

Name: ______________________________
Address: ____________________________
____________________________
____________________________

Phone: (___)_________________________

Email address: _______________________

Have you previously paid SWC dues for 2009-2010?
_____Yes _____No

SWC membership fee is $20 per year. Non-members may join now.

SWC Member:

Total number of poetry entries: ___ x $5= ___
Total number of prose entries: ___ x $10= ___
Membership (optional, as needed) $20 ___
TOTAL enclosed: ______

SWC Non-member:

Total number of poetry entries: ___ x $7= ___
Total number of prose entries: ___ x $15= ___
TOTAL enclosed: ______

I plan to attend the Contest Awards Ceremony
___ YES ___ NO

*****************************************************************************
Detach above and mail to address below

Make check or money order payable to: Shreveport Writers Club

Shreveport Writers Club Christmas Party and Contest Awards Ceremony will be held on December 12, 11:30 a.m., site to be announced. Please check the website: www.shrevewriters.blogspot.com

Join Shreveport Writers Club now! The Shreveport Writers Club has been a support group for writers since 1935. Amateur or professional writers are welcome. The club meets on the last Saturday of each month, January – October, 10 a.m. to noon, Broadmoor Public Library, 1212 Captain Shreve Drive, Shreveport, LA. November and December meetings vary.

MAIL TO:
Shreveport Writers Club
Contest Coordinator
P.O. Box 544
Shreveport, LA 71162

Mailed entries must be received by September 19, 2009, or hand-delivered to the September 26 meeting. Late entries will be discarded, but checks will be returned. Please read contest rules carefully, as non-conforming entries may be disqualified.

April 25th meeting

2009-04-27T20:18:00.000-05:00

At our April meeting, Shreveport Writers Club welcomed a visitor who is actually a returning member: KATHY FREEMAN, poet and fiction writer.

MARIE BRASS's Flash Writing topics elicited much spirited writing and JUNE DOWIS's Writers' Tips encouraged us to become confident and comfortable in articulating who we are and what we do.

Making a Mark pens went to JUNE DOWIS, BARBARA MOORE, MARIE BRASS, and MARIAN POE for various kinds of submission of work since the March meeting.

The majority of business discussed dealt with fine points of the 2009 contest. Final guidelines will be distributed at the May meeting. After that, contest rules will be posted here and our PR guru BONNIE MCEWAN will begin to publicize this year's event. Here's a teaser: categories include two for poetry, two for fiction, and one for non-fiction. Start picking out work you want to enter or creating something wonderful that's new.

March 28 meeting

2009-03-29T22:42:00.000-05:00

PAMELA RAINTREE, below right, led Shreveport Writers Club members and visitors in a group exercise which proved that careful thought about setting, character, and conflict will produce plot!

Helping us discover "the arcane secret of producing prose from blank paper," PAMELA is shown with an example of the "wand" and "spellbook" she gave to each participant.

After Pam's presentation, in a brief business meeting four "Making a Mark" pens were awarded to MARIE BRASS, BONNIE McEWAN, JUNE DOWIS, and BECKY HAIGLER for submissions made since the February meeting.

Members voted to plan a contest for 2009. SWC's last contest was in 2007, when an effective set of rules and guidelines were developed by a hard-working Contest Committee. President BECKY HAIGLER has asked the Executive Board to serve as the current Contest Committee, and proposals for updating previous contest guidelines will be presented for discussion by the membership at the April meeting.

MACAULEY JOHNSON shared a flyer advertising the Aaron & Peggy Selber RED RIVER CULTURAL TRADITIONS WRITING CONTEST. $1,000 Prize for the best written paper on the contest theme - A Sense of Place. The submission may include cultural, historical, geographical and scientific aspects of North Louisiana's Red River Region. But, don't limit yourself - we are looking for great writing supported by rich reporting of our culture.

Deadline: Friday, May 1. For contest rules visit the Sci-Port website, click on Programs, then on Contests, and scroll down to RRCT Writing Competition.

Round Robin reading at the March 28 meeting was all poetry! Although it was good, we missed our prose writers and hope they will be able to join us again in April.

February meeting

2009-03-02T15:56:00.000-06:00

At our last meeting, SWC members enjoyed Flash Writing from topics presented by MARJORIE CLAYTON, right, and Writers' Tips from BONNIE McEWAN, below, left.

The proposed bylaws were adopted during the business meeting. President Becky Haigler encouraged members who have concerns about any element of the bylaws to present suggested changes for possible amendment.

An informal custom of SWC is that many of the members gather for lunch afterward, often at IMPERIAL CATHAY, followed by a game of Boggle in the back room. You don't have to 'speak easy' to get in -- anyone is welcome! SHIRLEY BROWN is seen below, studying a Boggle hand.

February news

2009-02-11T20:46:00.000-06:00

Several representatives of Shreveport Writers Club visited Montclair Assisted Living Center on Wednesday, February 11, to present the memorial copy of Hubcap Biscuits and Corncob Wars to readers and residents of the facility. HBCW was a creation of Troy Rushing, recently deceased member of SWC, and the book was donated to the Montclair library in his memory, along with several large-print books.

Montclair resident Annie Laurie Savage, left, a past member of SWC and charter member of Centenary Senior Writers, was our hostess for the afternoon. Dr. David Abdehou, Montclair owner, attended the memorial presentation. Later, we listened to favorite old music sung and played by visiting performers while we enjoyed delicious punch and a cake prepared in our honor.

SWC President Becky Haigler, right, holds the memorial copy of Troy’s book.

Shirley Brown, SWC Vice President,above left, presented large-print books to Montclair activities director Debbie Alexander.

Pat Goeders, above right, in red, of SWC and Ann Lowe, of the Montclair, at the presentation party. Rose Cox, another past president of SWC, also accompanied the group.

Montclair resident Evelyn Theis, right, browses through Hubcap Biscuits and Corncob Wars.

(All photos courtesy of Becky Haigler.)

Don’t forget to look over the proposed bylaws to be ready for voting at the meeting February 28. Bonnie McEwan will have Writers’ Tips for us, and Marjorie Clayton will bring Flash Writing topics.

Photoblog of the Christmas party

2008-12-13T15:21:00.000-06:00

Shreveport Writers Club Christmas party was a fun event for the 19 members and guests who gathered to sample more than two tables full of goodies and listen to holiday-themed readings. We grazed and visited for about an hour before settling in to hear the readings. Thanks to all who helped make the event so enjoyable.

BOB AND DENNISE AIELLO, right

CARLOS COLON, below

BARBARA MOORE, MACAULEY JOHNSON, MARIAN POE, below, left to right

JUNE DOWIS, left

PAT GOEDERS, below

ROSE COX and RUSSELL MCCONNELL, below
PAMELA RAINTREE, left

ORVILLE JENSEN, below, right

SHIRLEY BROWN, left

KATHERINE WOLFE, below, right

MACAULEY JOHNSON, left

IRV and BEVERLY HEARD, below

JEAN MCCONNELL, below

IRV HEARD, below

all photos by BECKY HAIGLER

November 22 meeting

2008-11-22T21:36:00.000-06:00

Shreveport Writers Club meeting of November 22 featured a mini-workshop with Benton author CONNIE COX (in blue, above left, with Secretary BARBARA MOORE) on using details of setting and props to develop characters, whether in fiction or memoir writing. Connie teaches writing in the Continuing Education Department of BPCC. Information about upcoming courses is available at her website conniecox.com

SWC will have its annual Christmas meeting on Saturday, December 13, in the Broadmoor Library Community Room, 11:00 to 1:00. Members should bring a guest, some finger foods to share and a Christmas reading of their own work or by a favorite author. The club will provide drinks, paper goods, and a platter of cold cuts and cheeses.

Under New Business, as a memorial to recently-deceased member Troy Rushing, the membership voted to purchase a copy of Troy’s book, Hubcap Biscuits and Corncob Wars, to be donated to the Montclair Park Retirement Center, and also to contribute $20 to each of the charities suggested by the Rushing family – the American Heart Association and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

President BECKY HAIGLER,right, was glad to be able to give out four of the SWC “Making a Mark” ballpoints to members who had submitted writing for publication since the last meeting.

October 25 meeting

2008-10-26T20:56:00.000-05:00

Shreveport Writers Club met Saturday, October 25, with heavy hearts over the recent demise of our dear member TROY RUSHING, left, (1935-2008). Troy was scheduled to give the program for us but passed away the day before. He had given his notes to his wife BARBARA, below right, with the request that she present for him "if anything happens." Barbara loyally filled in for her Sweetheart of 53 years and told of their joys and struggles in getting some of Troy's wonderful stories into print through self-publishing with the Lulu Company. Barbara asked members to sign a copy of Troy’s recent collection, Hub Cap Biscuits and Corncob Wars, which will be donated to the library.

Vice President SHIRLEY BROWN, above left, presided ably but sadly, mourning the loss of her dear friend of many years. Several members had memories of Troy to share and all will miss his witty and interesting stories, as well as the old Burma Shave jingles he included with his faithful and unerring email notice of meetings.

Consideration of new bylaws was postponed until the January meeting. Copies of the proposed new bylaws are available to anyone who did not receive a copy at the September meeting.

Remember, the November meeting will be the 22nd, to avoid conflict with the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Our speaker will be CONNIE COX, Benton author and writer of fantasy and contemporary romances. Connie was a finalist for the 2007 Golden Heart Award of the Romance Writers of America. She also teaches writing at BPCC and will present a mini-lecture and writing exercise on “How to enrich your writing through setting and props.”

SWC will have its annual Christmas meeting on Saturday, December 13, in the Broadmoor Library Community Room, 10:30 to 1:00. Members should bring a guest, some finger foods to share and a Christmas reading of their own work or by a favorite author. The club will provide drinks, paper goods, and a platter of cold cuts and cheeses.

September 27th Meeting

2008-09-27T16:57:00.001-05:00

After spending ten minutes working on flash writing topics, some members and guests shared their writing with the group. Below, left, MARIE BRASS reads while her daughter BONNIE MC EWAN listens.

Below ROSE COX reads her flash writing.

RUSSELL MC CONNELL, below, shared Writers' Tips from the book The Writer's Journey, by Christopher Vogler.

Several members were able to take home one of the new Marking a Mark ballpoints for having submitted work to some market since the last club meeting.

Announcements included details about the club Christmas party, to be held Saturday, December 13, in the community room of the library, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The club will furnish drinks, paper goods and a meat and cheese platter. Members should bring a guest, a snack to share and a Christmas reading -- their own work or that of a favorite author.

Proposed new bylaws were distributed for members to examine. A vote of whether to adopt the new bylaws will be taken at the October meeting.

Speaker for the October meeting will be TROY RUSHING, on the topic of self-publishing.

August meeting notes

2008-09-02T21:31:00.000-05:00

SWC Vice President Shirley Brown, left, presided ably at the August 30 meeting. Shirley announced a new section of the monthly meeting to begin in September. “Making a Mark” will be time for members to report their writing successes and frustrations. We want to hear when you have something accepted for publication, but also when you’ve earned a rejection letter. To get acceptances OR rejections, you have to submit! Every time you report having submitted something for publication since the last meeting, you will be awarded a fun, burgundy-and-silver ballpoint pen imprinted with “Making a Mark, Shreveport Writers Club.”

Another new feature of monthly meetings, Writers’ Tips, was inaugurated by June Dowis, right, who spoke for five minutes on "How To Create an Instant Bestselling Novel." Russell McConnell will present Writers’ Tips at the September meeting. Be thinking of something you can share at a future meeting!

SWC Members will shortly receive a questionnaire in the mail. You are asked to respond thoughtfully but quickly and send the questionnaire back to the board in the postage-paid envelope that will accompany it. Board members hope to implement some changes in the club to make it more useful to current members and more attractive to potential members. The questionnaire is your chance to tell the board how you feel about what we’re doing now and what we might do in the future. Responses may be anonymous if you prefer.

SWC bylaws have not been updated since 1996. The board has been working on a version to suit our current group and will present the new bylaws to the membership at the September meeting. Copies of the old bylaws are also available for perusal. A vote to accept the revised version, or not, will be taken at the October meeting.

July Meeting Notes

2008-07-26T16:02:00.000-05:00

Right, outgoing President and Secretary, Russell and Jean McConnell, presided at the July 26 meeting of Shreveport Writers Club. Russell was presented with a table plaque thanking him for his four years of service to the club.

At left, Dr. Wilfred Guerin who spoke to the club on "Objectification," or bringing our thoughts, memories and feelings into form in poetry and prose.

Right, Becky Haigler, incoming President, holds new SWC information bookmarks and a gavel made for the club by outgoing President Russell McConnell.

Vice President Shirley Brown handed out updated membership rosters, reminding all that dues for 2008-2009 are now past-due.

New Officers

2008-07-08T12:58:00.000-05:00

(Photo courtesy of Becky Haigler;
L-R Brown, Moore, Dowis, Haigler)

Shreveport Writers' Club announces new officers, being seated at the July 26th meeting to serve a two-year term. Becky Haigler will serve as President, Shirley Brown, Vice President, Barbara Moore, Secretary, and June Dowis will continue as Treasurer. (An un-elected resource continuing to serve the group is Troy Rushing who sends email notices of meetings. Ask to be added to the list.) We are very grateful to Past President Russell McConnell and wife Jean McConnell, recent Secretary, who served the club so ably and faithfully for the past four years.

Your new executive board is meeting to do some planning for the coming year's activities, including an updated membership list and the adoption of club bylaws. If your membership dues are not current, please plan to bring a check to the July meeting -- and a friend! Let's let people know about this great resource for writers in Shreveport.

2007 Contest Results are Here!

2007-12-08T23:21:00.000-06:00

2007 Contest Results!
Thanks to all who participated in the 2007 Shreveport Writers Club Contest. Special thanks to our wonderful judges and the hardworking contest committee. Congratulations to the top three places in each category, as listed below.

The winners are:

Fiction
3rd place $20 prize Rich Pevey, "A King Among Mules"
2nd place $30 prize Barbara Moore, "Through Rose Colored Glasses"
1st place $50 prize Rich Pevey, "Man Vs. Horsefly"

Rhymed Poetry
3rd place $10 prize Irv Heard, "The Louisiana State Fair Family Reunion"
2nd place $15 prize Bill Conly, "The Confines of a Room"
1st place $25 prize Bill Conly, "Baying at the Moon"

Memoir/Nostalgia/Inspirational
3rd place $20 prize Orville Jensen, "Model T Memories"
2nd place $30 prize Bill Conly, "Black Friday"
1st place $50 prize Kathryn Wolfe, "Springtime Saturday Morning"

Unrhymed Poetry
3rd place $10 prize Rich Pevey, "A Note With Flowers"
2nd place $15 prize Becky Haigler, "Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacifico, 1962"
1st place $20 prize Shirley Brown, "Writer's Warranty"

Non-Fiction
3rd place $20 prize Margaret Hodges, "A Difficult Birth"
2nd place $30 prize Sara Burroughs, "Review of Finding Celia's Place"
1st place $50 prize Shirley Brown, "Looking Back"