NETWO Newsletter - With Pen in Hand

 

Next  NETWO meeting will be

6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007

Western Sizzlin, Mt. Pleasant

 

 

 

                                                Volume 21, Issue 10

                                                October 2007

 

 

 

LIBRARY PROJECT

 

Last year NETWO was able to assist an elementary school in Arkansas that lost their entire school and library to a fire.  The principal and teachers were grateful for our contributions.  Several weeks ago, Galand  Nuchols contacted Region VIII librarian Pattie Duke asking if she knew of any library in this area that could use extra books.  She has called Galand with the names of two local school libraries with limited budgets. 

 

We can adopt either one or both.  Both libraries serve K---12^th grade.  One has a greater need of books for the older children.  Both are in easy driving distance of Mt. Pleasant.  This project will be discussed further at our October meeting.

 

            We already have 30 to 40 books being stored by Galand.  If you have books you wish to donate, bring them to the meeting, and she will make arrangements to deliver them to one or both schools.

 

 

 

Visit the NETWO website at www.NETWO.org.

 

 

 

 

           

 

SOURCES FOR BOOKS

 

     A great place to obtain books for school libraries is at Scholastic Book Fairs—watch for one at a school near you.

 

     The Texas Library Association sponsors recommended reading lists which provide guidance on books appropriate to an age group.

 

The 2x2 Reading List is comprised of a list   of 20 recommended books for children aged two years to Grade 2.

 

Texas Bluebonnet Award suggests titles for Grades 3-6.

 

The Lone Star Reading List covers Grades 6-8, and

           

Tayshas Reading Lists are titles for high school.

 

     Suggestions for titles come from librarians, teachers, parents, students, and other interested readers across the state.  It is not mandatory that a school or library purchase all titles.

 

     If you would like copies of the lists to guide you, visit the Texas Library Association website:

www.txla.org. or  ask your newsletter editor.

 

 

 

                        The Artful Edit

            On the Practice of Editing Yourself

                        By Susan Bell

 

            Reviewed by Vickie Phelps

 

            The Artful Edit, On The Art of Editing Yourself offers writers 217 pages of no-nonsense advice on editing their own manuscripts.  This statement can be made by many books on the craft of writing, but author Susan Bell gives the reader the benefit of her own experiences as a former editor with Random House and reinforces that wisdom with examples from other great writers.  One such case is the collaboration between the famous editor, Max Perkins, and F. Scott Fitzgerald on The Great Gatsby.  What writer wouldn’t want someone like Mr. Perkins assisting them with their work?  But since it isn’t possible, Bell has given us The Artful Edit, On the Practice of Editing Yourself.

            Editing is fundamental to great writing.  Bell believes that work improves dramatically when the author learns to think and act like an editor during the draft stage of a manuscript.  She states, “The debate continues on whether you can teach someone to write; I know, unequivocally, that you can teach someone to             edit.”  She then gives systematic methods she and her students have found useful in their own writing.

            The book is separated into five parts:

                Gaining  Perspective

                The Big Picture: Macro-Editing

                The Details:  Micro-Editing

                Master Class

    Servants, Dictators, Allies:  A Brief       

        History of Editors.

Within these categories are sage advice

from  Bell herself and other popular writers such as Tracy Kidder, Michael Ondaatje, and Ann Patchett.  She then gives you practice work, which many other books on the craft also do, but within these practices are instructions and rules which make you take a closer look at your work.  For example:  One of the rules under Practice Notebook:  Personal Patterns is “Be a mechanic not a judge.  When you edit, do not ask yourself: do I like this?  Ask instead:  Does this compel me and can I follow it?  If the answer is no, figure out why.”

            This book will not eliminate the need for an outside editor, but will minimize it.  When we learn how to better edit ourselves, editors will be working with our texts at a more advanced stage, refining our work into something we can be proud to see on bookstore shelves.  Allow Susan Bell’s The Artful Edit, On the Practice of Editing Yourself  to guide you to that place.

 

(Bell, Susan,  The Artful Edit, On the Practice of Editing Yourself, W. W. Norton, ISBN: 978-0-393-057522,  $23.95)

 

 

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JANICE MONK GLASS

 

                                    A  Profile

 

                           By Jackie Brown

 

                       

 

     Janice Monk Glass was born in Tucson, Arizona, and has lived in Nashville, Tennessee;  Memphis, Tennessee; Little Rock, Arkansas, and Texarkana, Texas since then.  Each place has contributed to her writing abilities.  She attended East Texas State Teachers College, Commerce; Vanderbilt University and  Belmont School of Music (both in Nashville).  

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In Nashville, she met and spent time with a group of Grand Ole Opry people, such as Kenny and Marty Rogers, Waylon Jennings and his family, and Jenny Pruitt, who interested her in Western songs.  It was Kenny Rogers who first encouraged Janice to write songs.  She wrote a number of them, and one of her songs, for which she wrote both the music and lyrics, was nominated for Song of the Year by the Country Music Association.  She didn’t win first prize, but did win a CMA jacket which she wore proudly.

     Janice has been a widow for some years, but counts herself lucky that her three children all live near her, and she enjoys visiting and seeing them and her ten grandchildren, as well as her ten great-grandchildren.  (I’ve noticed that she’s fairly busy attending births and special family occasions.)  She’s lived in the Liberty-Eylau area of Texarkana for some time, and prefers it.

     We’ve belonged to several writers’ clubs together, and I’ve always admired her writing of fiction, articles, poems, and lyrics.  She usually seemed able to write what the magazines wanted to buy.

     While belonging to the QUILL, we had a club contest to see who could submit and sell the most stories and articles, and says 75% of them were accepted!  She’s sold to such publications as Grit, Cappers ,Women’s World, Woman’s Day, Little River News, and the State Line Journal.  Currently she has two stories with Chicken Soup.  She says more and more, however, the magazines are telling her they don’t publish fiction any more, just to “send non-fiction articles, reminiscences, etc.”

     Along with parenting and writing, Janice has also worked for some time at various jobs such as at the Red River Army Depot,  the Texarkana Mall, and for the State of Texas and the City of           Texarkana.  But now is a time for writing.

     I have her book, Shaking the Apple Tree,  

Published in 2004, about the stories of Henry Jesse Hatton.  Henry and his wife, Sarah Jane, and their odd friends have more amazing and amusing adventures than you can imagine!  It’s almost impossible to stop turning the pages.  She’s currently completing another book to be published this fall.  I also have a book of her poetry, entitled Misplaced Poet, and she is kept busy at book signings in the Four States area.

     Her favorite genres are historical fiction and historical non-fiction.  Her favorite book is Shepherd of the Hills, and her idols in the writing world include Harold Bell Wright, John Grisham, and     Stephen King.  Other favorites are Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye.

     Good books she’s read recently are: The Road, Ed of Age, and From Hope to Higher Ground, by Mike Huckabee.  Although she enjoys the past, her favorite historical period is the 21^st Century.  Her two most enjoyed magazines are Guideposts and Readers’ Digest.  For viewer sports, she prefers NASCAR.

     Janice says her favorite subject at school was English.  Her best-loved movie is The Sound of  Music.  (That concludes the “favorites.”)

     While writing, Janice listens to talk radio, and to herself reciting the story.  Her biggest ambition in writing is to get it all on paper before she forgets it!

     She says that in her writing, she is inspired by everything.  Her advice to would-be writers is: start writing, and keep notes of your ideas.

     One word that sums her up, she says, is: Content.

What a nice way to be!  J

 

 

            BITS AND PIECES

 

     Gay Ingram will be having a book signing for Living With a Depressed Spouse at Gospel

Lighthouse in Gilmer on October 11^th from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.  She invites all her fellow members to come by and see her.

 

    Galand Nuchols will be reading at the Pittsburg Library on October 27 from 10:00 – 12:00 a.m.

     The Texas Book Festival will take place in

Nov. 3-4 in Austin.  Some notable authors are scheduled and panels will look at “The Literature of Revenge” and feature dueling authors in a “Lit Smackdown: Fiction vs. Nonfiction.”  The festival’s schedule can be found online.

 

 

            A NIGHT WITH LOCAL AUTHORS

 

      Mineola High School Bromberg Memorial Library is presenting “A Night with Local Authors” as part of the new program by Scholastic Book Fairs.  On  October 16, 6-8 p.m. at the high school, local authors will bring their books which will be available for sale and autographing.  No author will be asked to speak to the attendees, but all will be free to just talk to their

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visitors.  Returning authors from last year’s

 event  are:  Jim Ainsworth; Elizabeth Baker; Bill Hamner; Gay Ingram; Bill Knight; Herb Marlow; Maryann Miller;  James Olson, and Frank Pickle. New authors planning to attend are Tim Coody, William Butler, Larry Turner, and possibly Gary Martin.  Others may be added as final plans are made.

               

     Jory Sherman will meet with classes to discuss writing throughout the day of Oct. 16.  He will also bring a workbook for writers.

 

    The planners are reaching out to any author in Texas (especially East Texas) who would like to participate.  Contact Joy Stuart at Mineola high School Bromberg Memorial Library, 900 West Patten St., Mineola, TX  75773, or

stuartj@mineolaisd.net.

 

               

ARVEL  AND THE RED, WHITE,  AND BLUE

 

                           By Janice Glass

 

     Arvel sat on the sofa with a beer can in his hand, lost in deep thought.  “Southern common sense,” he muttered.  He turned and looked at me.  “All it takes is good old Southern common sense and some butt kicking.”

     I asked, “What are you talking about?”

    “Solving the problems in the USA.  It’s all about common sense and kicking butt,” he answered.

     “Would you elaborate, please?”

     “For instance, take the problems the government is having securing the southern borders. All they have to do is dig a moat the length of the border. Send the dirt in dump trucks to the Corps of Engineers in New Orleans to build up the levees.  Then send the dump trucks on to New York City, round up, and haul back all those alligators taking to the streets from the sewers and put them in the moat.  Three problems are solved at once.”

     I asked him, “Why hasn’t the Senate thought of that?”

     “Because they’re all so busy thinking of ways to line their own pockets they don’t care what’s happening to the country.  Besides, if they thought of it, they’d talk it to death instead of getting off their butts and actually doing something.”

     “You got that right.”

     He continued, “The next thing we’ll do is load those twelve million illegal aliens into the several thousand FEMA trailers rotting in Hope, Arkansas, and take them back across the border in them.”

     “Who’s going to pull all those trailers?”

     “Oh, hell, Son.  All we’ll have to do is ask for volunteers.  We’ll have us a convoy.  We’ll have more trucks than we can handle, and they’ll all be flying the American flag.”

     “How will we get the illegal aliens to show up in Hope?”

     “Announce nationwide that we’re giving away free trailers, free medical care, food stamps, social security benefits, and fake documents, and all they have to do is come to Hope and sign up for them.  They’ll show.  We may even get some of our own deadbeats, too.  We’ll ship’em south with the illegal aliens.”

     “What if Mexico doesn’t want our deadbeats?”

     “That’s their problem to deal with.  We don’t want their criminals, drug runners, and car thieves
either.”

     “How will we get the trailers back?”

     “We don’t want them back.  They’re contaminated with formaldehyde.  We’ll solve several problems at once.  We’ll get rid of the trailers, give the illegal aliens a place to live back in their own country, and we’ll get our country back.  It will solve our problems of bankrupt medical facilities, overcrowded schools and prisons, trashed neighborhoods, and it will get them off our welfare rolls.  The taxpayers will like that.”

     “What if those trailers poison them?”

     “Oh, they don’t care about poison.  They don’t mind sending produce from their country that’s loaded with DDT that our farmers aren’t allowed to use. And they certainly don’t care they’re bringing tons of narcotics into our country and poisoning our young people every day.”

     “You have a good point there.”

     “And did you know highway deaths from drunk drivers have escalated since they invaded our country?”

     “How will we solve that?”

     “We’ll start by taking their fake drivers licenses away from them and confiscating their vehicles when we catch them driving drunk.  Then we’d sell their vehicles to pay the costs of shipping them home.  And we’ll stop all their big rigs at the border and charge them to run across our country to

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 Canada.  Those fees will pay to repair highways and bridges their overloaded, substandard trucks are destroying.”

     “You have a good line of thought going,” I told him.

     “Then we’ll start all those oil rigs that are setting idle in fields across our country and pump our own oil again.  We’ll make Americans rich instead of all those Arabs.  Next, we’ll send all those foreign products that are poisoning our babies and pets back overseas to the Commies who made them.  We’ll reopen all our factories and put our people back to work making quality products by people who care.  We’ll put prayer back in our schools, ‘In God We Trust’ back on our coins, and fine anyone who burns the flag or removes ‘The Ten Commandments’ from any public building.  If they don’t respect this country we’ll take their flag burning fines and buy them a one-way plane ticket to any place in the world they want to live.  ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ and a picture of Jesus is going up on the wall in my office, and I dare anyone to remove them!”

     The door opened.  “Mr. Vice President, it’s time for your inauguration. Are you ready with your speech?”

     “I’m ready,” I answered.  “Are you ready to stand beside me, Mr. President?”

     Arvel stood up, crushed the empty beer can with one hand and tossed it across the room into the trash.  Then he straightened his jacket, checked the crease in his jeans, squared his shoulders, and

replied with conviction, “I’ve never been more ready!”

     I shook his offered hand.  “We’re going to make a great team, Sir!”

                       

Message from the Editor:

   Every month, I do something to make compiling the newsletter a challenge, so please bear with me again this time.  I’m using a new version of software, and find I don’t yet know how to do everything I want.

   Also, please note I have a new e-mail address:

   floysmith@windstream.net.

Send news!

                        MARKET NEWS

 

    Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition

 

     Writers of short fiction are encouraged to enter the 2008 Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition to vie for $2,000 in cash prizes.  The literary competition is open to all US and international  writers whose fiction has not appeared in a nationally distributed publication with a circulation of 5,000 or more.  Writers who have been published on-line or have self-published are considered on an individual basis.  This competition celebrates the emerging writer

      The first-place winner will receive $1,000 in cash, while the second- and third-place winners will receive $500 each.  Judges will also award honorable mentions to other entrants whose work demonstrates promise.

     To be eligible for the 2008 competition, stories must be original unpublished fiction, typed and double-spaced, and they may not exceed 3,000 words in length.  There are no theme restrictions.  Writers’ names should not appear on the stories, and manuscripts will not be returned.  Copyright remains the property of the author. (We do not accept e-mailed submissions.)

     Each story should be accompanied by a cover sheet with the writer’s name, complete address, e-mail address, phone number, title of the piece, and word count.

     The entry fee is $12 for each story postmarked up to and including May 1, 2008, and

$17 for each story postmarked from May 2 up to and including May 15.  Entries postmarked after May 15, 2008, will not be accepted.

     The entry fee may be a personal check,  cashier’s check or money order in US funds.

Writers can submit multiple entries in the same envelope, but each must be accompanied by an entry fee and separate cover sheet.

     Address to: Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition, P. O. Box 993, Key West,

FL  33041.