Beth Cornelison has a dozen books published. Her romantic suspense novel, Chasing a Dream was a finalist in the 2000 Golden Heart Contest. The next year, Protective Custody won the top prize. Under Fire has received several awards, from New England to Colorado. Danger at Her Door was named “Most Emotional” in the Anne Bonney Readers contest. She had four books published in 2009.

Peggy Moss Fielding is a native of Oklahoma, but has lived in Cuba, Japan, and the Philippines. She has published hundreds of articles and short stories, and a number of books, both fiction and non-fiction. The Oklahoma Writers’ Federation named her “OWFI Mentor of the Year,” the only person to receive such an award. Her students have gone on to write and publish more than 350 books.

Jacqueline “Jackie” King is a full-time writer. Her first book, Flirting at Fifty, became part of Chik-Lit for Foxy Hens. This anthology was a success and inaugurated the Foxy Hens series. She has since written The Spinster, The Pig and the Orphan, Murder Most Fowl, and The Ghost Who Wouldn’t Skedaddle. The Inconvenient Corpse was published by Deadly Niche Press in 2009.

Dusty Richards published his first novel in 1992. He expects to publish his 100^th book in 2010. The Natural won the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation “Book of the Year” award in 2003. The following year, he won again with Abilene Trail. In 2007, he won two Spur Awards, the first person to win two in one year. He devotes much of his time to helping writers. He has been inducted into the Arkansas Writers’ Hall of Fame.

Rusty Shelton is managing director of Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists. He has built relationships with leading houses like B&H Publishing Group, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Tor/Forge, St. Martin’s Press, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan. Rusty is a featured faculty member (now in his 5^th year) at Harvard Medical School’s annual publishing conference.

Interviews

Agents Eleanor Jackson and Al Longden, and editor Faith Black will hold one-on-one interviews with registered conference attendees. Registration does not guarantee an interview. Interview slots will be allocated, as long as they are available, on a “first come, first served” basis, based on the date of registration. So, register early for an excellent chance to get an interview with your first choice. Also, please don’t ask for multiple interviews when you register. If, after 9:30 on Saturday, there are empty slots, you may sign up for an interview with another person.

Writing Samples

Agents Al Longden and Eleanor Jackson and editor Faith Black will accept a limited number of brief writing samples in advance of the conference. Those whose paid registration is received by April 1 may submit one writing sample which can be a basis for the personal

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interview. These will be accepted on a “first come, first served basis. Date of paid registra-tion will be used in determining order of requests. Be sure to specify which person you want to receive your writing sample.

Please check the type of books each is interested in --- and NOT interested in --- seeing. Check it carefully. If your work is something the agent or editor does not want to represent, it will not be sent to her or him. (This is not being difficult. But if you take a slot with something that the editor or agent has said they are not interested in, you may be keeping someone with a piece perfectly suited to the reader from getting it to the right person.) Please read the specific guide lines for each agent or editor BEFORE submitting a writing sample.

Faith Black said, “I would particularly like to see cozy mysteries, westerns, women’s fiction, literary fiction. No non-fiction, no romance, no sci-fi/fantasy, no YA, no erotica.” She will accept the first 2 chapters, or 20 pages, whichever is smaller.

Al Longden likes general fiction, mysteries, and some paranormal. On the non-fiction side, he is interested in biographies, and books on business, investing, and finance.

“I love old fashioned story telling in the mode of a Biggers, Conan Doyle, Rohmer, Haggard, Kipling, Burroughs and Stevenson. More recently, E. Peters, the pre-born again Anne Rice, Hillerman, Laurie King and Childs. Look to these authors with a creative current-thinking attitude and you’ll have something.”

Send the first 2 chapters, or 20 pages, whichever is smaller.

Eleanor Jackson likes “literary fiction, non-fiction (I particularly like food, science, politics and history,) memoirs, commercial women’s fiction, young adult, mystery, thriller, romance. In terms of format: I prefer that writers send me a paragraph-long synopsis, author bio and the first 20 pages.”

Do NOT send samples directly to any of these three. The samples should come to NETWO, who will forward them to the proper person, thus guaranteeing them a reading before the conference.

Samples should be mailed in order to arrive at NETWO no later than April 1. On April 1, they will be bundled up and sent to the appropriate person, so if your entry does not arrive by April 1, it cannot be included in those sent to agent or editor. Allow ample time for the U.S. Postal Service to deliver your package by April 1. NETWO cannot be responsible if your sample does not arrive on time.

Mail the sample to: NETWO, P. O. Box 411, Winfield, TX 75493

Of course, the samples should be formatted appropriately for submission to an agent or editor.

Workshop

The Friday workshop is a must if you’re serious about improving your writing. Dusty Richards will lead a hands-on, intensive 3 ½ -hour workshop: If You Aren’t Published, We’ll Show You Why.

The last time Dusty gave a workshop at NETWO, it filled up and we had to turn people away. Dusty’s taking more writers this year, but sign up early to guarantee you have a place. You won’t be disappointed.

Dusty has given this workshop to other groups with great success. He gives concrete examples and involves the audience so that they can get the most out of the workshop. He welcomes questions. And he takes the time and energy to see that each participant learns the necessary points to raise his or her writing to a higher level.

This is a detailed, carefully constructed workshop. You will learn how to improve your characters.

Accommodations

Information is available on the website, www.netwo.org, on lodging. But one option will be dorm space at a very affordable price, in the same building as the main conference site. NETWO has negotiated a good rate; those who stayed there last year had a good time, and this year, we’re planning some entertainment Friday after the reception.

Conference Dinner

The Writers Roundup will close with a dinner. This is optional, but the cost is only $12. The winners of the NETWO Short Story Contest will be announced at the dinner, as well as some NETWO and conference awards.

But, most of all, it will be a final opportunity to network. Hopefully, you will have met many writers, plus the agents and editor. With all the presentations during the day, you might not have gotten a phone number or e-mail address you wanted. Besides a good meal, you’ll have time to collect those contacts, and maybe make one last “good impression” on an editor, or agent. (They will be staying for the dinner.)

Camp Shiloh provides excellent facilities, a beautiful setting, and with an outstanding slate of speakers, this is going to be a conference well worth your time. ?

SHORT STORY CONTEST

Closing deadline for short story entries is February 15 for postmark and February 20 for delivery to NETWO. Don’t be left out!

NETWO Directory Questionnaire

Member Gay Ingram states responses to the questionnaire are trickling in – if you haven’t returned yours to: gayingram@hotmail.com or: Gay Ingram, 8119 Mulberry Road, Big Sandy, TX 75755, please do so as soon as possible.

Our goal is to have copies of the directory available at our April Conference. Here’s the information she is seeking. You may share only what you want included.

First and Last Name

Address

Home phone # Work phone # Cell phone #

e-mail address

Writing genres

Published? Yes or No

If yes, Title and genre

If applicable, ISBN # (with your permission this information will be posted on our website along with a link to a purchasing site)

Author website address

Hobbies and interests

Places you have traveled

Languages you speak

Job experiences and areas of expertise

Your family

Any other tidbits of information that you are willing to disclose and share with other members.

Please get these responses to Gay Ingram quickly.

NETWO January 2010 Meeting

The North East Texas Writers’ Organization met January 14^th at 5:30 at the Western Sizzlin in Mount Pleasant. Texas. Sixteen members and three guests were present. Ted Rankin presided. Bryan Freeman gave the Treasurer’s report. NETWO has a balance of $9,575.37 in the bank.

Old Business:

· Skip Hughes reminded everyone of his Poetry Workshop held at the Pizza Inn in Pittsburg, Texas on Saturday mornings. The second session will be January 16^th at 9:00 AM.

· Gay Ingram needs members to participate in sending updated information to her for the directory she has volunteered to compile for the club. The information form can be found in the November 2009 Newsletter.

· February 15^th is the final deadline for the Spring Conference Short Story Contest. Check website for further information.

New Business

· A volunteer is needed to direct the Friday night activities for the April Conference—food service and set up.

· Activity idea for the Friday night social at the Spring Conference is needed. Joy Chitsey suggested having some type of game show format.

· Jean Pamplin made a motion to host a second Poetry Night at her building in Winfield, Texas for the March meeting. Georgia Henson suggested having the traditional “Open Heart” celebration on that night instead of February. Skip Hughes seconded the motion and a yes vote was decided by the members. Jean suggested having the business meeting begin at 5:00 and the poetry reading begin at 6:30. Everyone is encouraged to bring finger foods for refreshments.

· Earlene Callan brought two examples of lettering which will go on tote bags which will be distributed during the Spring Conference. The group decided on the design.

· Mary Satterwhite—a Girl Scout leader is looking for authors to conduct an all day writing workshop to enable the girls to earn a badge. There are to be three/three hour sessions throughout the day of Saturday, February 6^th. If you are interested in helping, contact Karen Watt.

· The Brazos Writers Short Story Contest’s deadline is March 31^st.

· Jim Callan encouraged everyone to check NETWO’s website to view the Spring Conference Speakers. Dusty Richards will conduct the Friday Workshop and the members voted on holding an auction to help raise money for the club. Members are asked to bring items that are interesting and will be desirable for the audience.

· Those who are attending the conference are encouraged to spend the night in the dorms. There are supposed to be new mattresses which NETWO requested from last year.

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· The fees for the Spring Conference will go up $5 to help cover the cost of the speakers and their transportation. Members’ fees for early registration are $60 and late fees will be $80. Nonmembers will pay $70 for early and $90 for late registration. Jim explained that one of the reasons for the increase is the grant which NETWO has received in the past is no longer available from the state. Another grant has been submitted but it is not guaranteed.

Business Meeting adjourned.

The participants and winners of the Partner Short Story Contest are as follows; Galand Nuchols and Loni Koontz won first place with “Terror at the Airport”; Bryan and KC Freeman won second place with “The Van”; and Georgia Henson and Jean Pamplin won third place with “The Country Girl”. Cash prizes were awarded to each of the winners. Congratulations.

Meeting adjourned. ?

DUES PAYMENT TIME BITS AND PIECES

If you haven’t already sent in your 2010 NETWO lifetime member, Georgia

dues, please mail them to Henson is presently in the hospital

NETWO following a fall. We wish her a very

P. O. Box 411 speedy recovery. You may check

Winfield, TX 75493 on her progress at East Texas

Even better, bring them to the February Medical Center, Pittsburg.

meeting on the 11^th. OR, you may pay

them online at www.netwo.org.

Congratulations to the winners of

Dues remain the same ($20, or $25 for the team writing short story contest:

couples) and you immediately get a $10 Galand Nuchols and Loni Koontz

reduction in the conference fee, plus for first place; Bryan Freeman and

numerous other benefits. ? KC Freeman-Crowden for second place, and Georgia Henson and

Jean Pamplin for third. Perhaps we

could prevail on a team to write up

their experience for With Pen in Hand.