Minutes of March 2009 Meeting

Fourteen members of the Northeast Texas Writers’ Organization met at the Western Sizzlin on March 12^th at 5:30. Skip Hughes opened the meeting. Pat Hamilton gave the Treasurer’s report. We have $8,250.72 in the bank.

Skip reminded everyone about the poetry reading March 17^th, Saint Patrick’s Day, at Jean Pamplin’s Long Branch store next to the bank building in Winfield. The new sound system will be set up to help break it before the conference in April. The occasion is informal and the readings will begin at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is invited to bring poems to read. Skip also invited members to the Art & Espresso Café in Winnsboro, Texas on Friday, March 20^th where he will read his poetry. The time for this event is 7:00 p.m.

Galand Nuchols was missed during the meeting. She is recovering from an unfortunate mishap.

New Business:

Floy Smith, our newsletter editor, has composed a brochure for NETWO high-lighting the many facets of our organization.

The brochure was passed around for everyone to look at and check for corrections.

Guest Penny Crenshaw is interested in NETWO. She has written several stories and is looking for information and an outlet to help her get published.

Jean Pamplin announced an author signing at Winnsboro on March 21^st and another the following weekend at Tyler.

Michele Chitsey announced that authors who are planning to sell books at the April conference need to send a list of the book(s) and the price to her. Her e-mail address is

jchitsey@mt-vernon.com. Each author is limited to have six books per title on display at one time. All authors will be responsible to replenish his/her books as needed.

Business meeting adjourned for the critique session.

Respectfully submitted, Michele Chitsey ?

GREEN RHYMING

GREEN RHYMING, the first annual St. Patrick’s Day open-mic poetry reading was held in Winfield in what was last the Long Branch Package Store on Front Street. Heading up the auspicious occasion was Skip Hughes, poet extraordinaire and acquisition chair for the Northeast Texas Writers’ Organization’s recent purchase of sound equipment. Attending were

sixteen poetry lovers.

Photo by Bryan Freeman

Skip Checks Out New Sound System

Ron, Skip, Jean, Michele, Bryan and guest, Bela, read their poetry. The reading and testing of the equipment were deemed a success.

In lieu of admission, freewill donations were accepted to go toward the cost of the sound system. $110 was collected. ?

BITS & PIECES

Gay Ingram can now be found on the website www.authorsden.com “Where Authors and Readers Come Together.” A summary bio, list of her works, interests and future plans will be discovered there.

Galand Nuchols is the NETWO author published in this month’s East Texas Journal just out. Her flash fiction story has a chilling aspect and an O. Henry twist. Most enjoyable, Galand. We hope you are recovering rapidly from your accident.

NEW MEMBERS

Linda Ellis

Sharon Duran

Katherine Pinotti

Curtis Sharp

Patricia Snodgrass

Denise Weeks

Penny Crenshaw

Julia Alford

Carolyn Jones

Ron Stewart

Steve Sabatka - welcome back

EASTER BASKETS

Have you thought of putting a book in a child’s Easter basket? That would be something they can enjoy after the eggs are gone. Some possible titles:

Velveteen Rabbit

TheTale of Peter Rabbit

The Best Easter Egg Hunt Ever

Junie B., First Grader: Dumb Bunny

Max’s Easter Surprise

Easter Bugs: A Springtime Pop-Up

The Story of Easter

LAUREL “JEAN” GDANITZ PAMPLIN

A Profile

By Jackie Brown

Jean, as most of us call her, was born on February 5^th in St. Paul, Nebraska. Since that time she has spent most of her time in Texas, Nebraska, Colorado, Georgia, California, and Arkansas. She and husband Ed have lived in East Texas for thirty years, and reside in Mt. Vernon.

Jean attended Elba Consolidated Schools in Elba, Nebraska, and later graduated Valedictorian from Northeast Texas Community College. Her favorite subject at school was split between history, because her teacher, Mr. Ryder, made it so interesting, and Home Ec, because Mrs. Wibbels loved her students despite their tricks!

Jean’s favorite genres in literature are History, Biblical History, and Historical Romances. So it isn’t surprising that her favorite historical period is probably medieval history, or “Retro”, although she thinks any historical era has something interesting going on. She says, “I plan to write a historical novel in the future. In addition to fiction, I have occasionally written non-fiction articles and essays.”

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Jean’s writing credits include everything from plays to books. She used her concept of fictionalized history in writing Masquerade on the Western Trail, a young adult novel based on two true stories. Other accomplishments include Dr. John Ellis’ comprehensive book on vitamin B6 published by Avery-Penguin Putnum, N.Y., and compiling a book, Memories of Don Meredith and Home Town Mount Vernon. She recently had a story in the NETWO anthology A Treasure Box.

Jean is a founding member of NETWO and the Franklin County Arts Alliance. She serves on the Franklin County Library Board, is active in the United Methodist Women’s Organization, and was recently awarded the Paul Harris Fellow Rotary Award. She has contributed to a number of regional books, and written many freelance features.

She and artist Beverly Brewer were recognized by the State of Texas for a Franklin County Historical Association coloring book.

Her favorite book is The Bible, not surprisingly. She says that most helpful to her in her writing have been an individual names Mrs. L. E. Lamb, and the Bible. She recently enjoyed reading God’s Prescription for Divine Health, by Gloria Copeland. She says that every person she has met has influenced the human in her. The spirit helps her discern what to hold close and what to turn away. She is inspired by good writing, wherever she finds it.

She says that only a NETWO contest would really motivate her, and that her idols in the writing world include her fellow NETWO writers. Her biggest writing ambition is to be all she can be. She might enjoy a weekend at a writing retreat, but only if she had time.

She says her favorite movie is “POPEYE” – I’m not sure I believe that!

Jean says she reads magazines from the back to the front, and likes magazines without ads especially since she has short period of time to read. Her favorite magazine used to be Cottage Living, but they no longer exist. She likes Southern Tea Time, and another retro one called Mary Jane’s Farm, an old-fashioned read.

Jean’s favorite sport is volleyball.

She says that she likes “quiet” when she is writing. (I agree—I don’t want a radio or other noises to distract my mind.)

One thing Jean has discovered about herself is that she likes to create, whether it is writing, or business, community, or personal. She’s also discovered that when she works to be all she “can be” she spends a lot of time “body” cleaning, because to be all you can be, you have to climb over or eliminate a lot of what you are. (An intriguing slant.)

Her family is very important to her. She has also found many mentors amongst the members of NETWO.

Jean’s advice to those who wish to become writers is, “Think one word at a time. This way the task you set for yourself

does not become daunting.”

I think Jean has taken her own advice, as she cheerfully accepts a great deal of responsibility NETWO continually seems to thrust at her! And she keeps calm, cheerful, and smiling. She’s been very important to NETWO.

She says one word to sum her up is: interested.

She says, “At different times in my life, I would have chosen very different answers to your questions, but this is where I am at now. Thank God for chance. And, it has never been more important to smile.” ?

SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR 2009 WRITERS’ LEAGUE OF TEXAS

BOOK AWARDS

The 2009 Writers’ League of Texas Book Awards contest is open to American authors

of books published in 2008 in the following categories:

Fiction

· Nonfiction

· Poetry & Literary Prose

· Children’s books (short works)

· Children’s books (long works)

“The Writers’ League Book Awards are now open to writers all over the country. With all of the great books that came out in 2008, this year’s contest promises to be one of the best yet,” said WLT Executive Director Cyndi Hughes.

The Writers’ League of Texas Book Awards were previously known as the Violet Crown Book Awards, founded in 1991, and the Teddy Children’s Book Awards, founded in 1996.

Past Violet Crown Book Award winners include Texas Monthly columnist and novelist Sarah Bird, mystery author Mary Willis Walker, novelist Amanda Eyre Ward, novelist Clay Reynolds, poet Jack Myers, journalist Carlton Stowers, and NPR commentator Marion Winik. Teddy Children’s Book Award winners have included Dianne Gonzalez Bertrand, Angela Shelf Medearis, Kimberly Willis Holt, and John Erickson.

The 2008 winners were Rilla Askew (Harpsong), Marcia Kaylakie (Texas Quilts and Quilters), and Margo Rabb (Cures for Heartbreak).

Publishers, publicists, and agents are welcome to submit books on behalf of their authors.

Prizes

The winner in each category receives:

$1,000 cash
A commemorative award
An appearance at the Texas Book Festival on October 31.

Deadline

The deadline for submissions is April 30.

Entry Fee

The entry fee is $25 per title; three finished books must be included.

Eligibility

The contest is open to all American authors of books published in the United States in 2008.
Authors are not required to be members of the Writers’ League of Texas.
Submissions may be made by authors, publishers, publicists, or agents.

Guidelines and Entry Form

Download the 2009 WLT book Awards brochure and guidelines. For more details, please visit the Book Awards page of the Writers’ League Web site. ?

The Writers’ Leagues of Texas is a nonprofit professional organization whose primary purpose is to provide a forum for information, support, and sharing among writers, to help its 1300 members throughout the United States improve and market their writing skills and to promote the interest of writers and the writing community. t