Chattanooga Writers Guild

CWG News & Announcements:

Thursday, March 19, 2009
CWG NEWSLETTER -- FRIDAY, MARCH 20

CWG's Upcoming Monthly Meeting
The next meeting of the CWG, Tuesday, April 14, 2009, will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library. Guest speaker is Jim Johnston, publisher at Celtic Cat Publishing, an award-winning independent publisher founded in 1995. This meeting is open to the public. Remember, April is poetry month!

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Does CWG Facebook?
Now you can join the CWG Facebook Group:
Chattanooga Writers Guild

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The AEC Needs Us!
From Rachel at the Arts and Education Council: We still need volunteers for the Conference on Southern Literature (April 2-4). You can email me at rcorell@artsedcouncil.org if you'd like to sign up for a shift. Remember, volunteers get discounted tickets!
Thanks to those of you who have already volunteered to help with the Conference on Southern Literature! As of right now, we still have A LOT of shifts that are completely unfilled-- and just as many shifts need additional people.I have attached my most recent copy of the volunteer shift list. Please look it over and let me know, in order of preference, what shift you can work if you have not already done so. If you can do more than one shift, that would be great.
Rachel Corell- Administrative CoordinatorArts & Education Council- 423-267-1218- rcorell@artsedcouncil.org

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Cheerios Cereal Box Books
Cheerios announced they will sponsor the third annual New Author Contest, offering children's writers the chance to distribute their book inside cereal boxes. The grand prize is $5,000 and consideration by children's editors at Simon & Schuster.
Entries will be accepted between March 16 through July 15, 2009, and the rules are here. The contest has opened up a brand new book market as well. This spring, 1.5 million paperback copies of the first winning book will be distributed for free inside Cheerios boxes.Here's more about the first year's winner, Shellie Braeuner, from the release: "Braeuner, a nanny from Nashville, [won] the $5,000 cash prize ... over the past year, 'The Great Dog Wash' came to life. Simon & Schuster will publish 'The Great Dog Wash,' illustrated by Robert Neubecker, in hardcover this summer."

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Article on what Editors Look For
http://www.pw.org/content/agents_and_editors_qampa_four_young_editors

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101 Essential Resources for Freelancers
http://applicant.com/101-essential-resources-for-freelancers/

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Science Fiction Writers Are Buzzing
A video from http://www.ted.com/ will amaze anyone who's open to the future. http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/pattie_maes_demos_the_sixth_sense.html

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Looking for a Contest?
Writers Digest Competition Central
http://www.writersdigest.com/competitions

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Copy Editor Writes Hit Song via Internet
The news business is one that didn't require an economic meltdown to create layoffs. Christopher Ave, the political editor of the St. Louis Post Dispatch has written a song called "The Copy Editor's Lament: The Layoff Song."

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Please send writer news, accomplishments, opportunities, contests, etc. to Karen H. Phillips, kphillipso@aol.com . Please begin subject line in all caps with two hyphens: NEWSLETTERCWG-- followed by important dates/deadlines, and brief description of the item you're sending. I apologize for not posting several meetings this week, because I didn't check frequently for dates. Using the beginning subject words above will send the email to my CWG Newsletter folder. The visual reminder in the email subject line will help me keep news timely. If at all possible, submit announcements at least one week in advance. For example, if you're a writers' group leader, submit your meeting information one week before your meeting, as it otherwise may not be published in time. Thanks for all the helpful information you send--we writers thrive with support and encouragement!

Thursday, March 12, 2009
CWG NEWSLETTER -- FRIDAY, MARCH 13

Published Authors You Can Talk to in the Next Week

Robert T. Cochran, Jr., MD
(author of Understanding Chronic Pain: A Doctor Talks to His Patients):
Rock Point Books
Friday, March 13, 7:00 PM
401 Broad St., Chattanooga, TN, 37402

Judy L. DiGregorio (author of Life Among the Lilliputians):
Rock City's Irish Festival (Shamrock City)
Saturday, March 14, 11:00 AM
Rock City, Chattanooga, TN

Sybil Baker (author of The Life Plan):
Lee University
Tuesday, March 17, 9:00 AM
1120 North Ocoee Street, Cleveland, TN 37320

Meacham Writer's Conference
Thursday, March 19, 7:00 PM -- March 21, 10 AM
University of TN at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN

Christina Barber (author of Spirits of Georgia's Southern Crescent):
Hallow Con
Friday, March 20 and 21st
6700 Ringgold Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37412

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Read K.B. Ballentine's Women's History Month poem about Sylvia Plath:
http://www.americandiversityreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1237:womens-history-month-poem-kbballentine&catid=44:women

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Rebecca Carroll Publishes Book and Short Story
I have recently published a book called Milk Glass Moon, a story about the families who had to leave Oak Ridge to make way for the building of the Manhattan Project, which developed the atomic bomb. It can be purchased from the author or from online sources.
My short story, "My Life as a Nose," will be published in Wilderness House Literary Review.

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Member's Poetry to Be Published
Kitty Forbes has had two poems accepted recently for publication in
Main Street Rag. One of the poems, "The Banging Shutter, the Hanging
Gate," was workshopped in the CWG poetry group, where she found
their insights and comments to be very helpful. Kitty also
has a poem forthcoming in Bogg.

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Seven CWG Members in Dayton Sunday
Poetic Voices will be held Sunday, March 15 at Pooh's Place in Downtown Dayton, 1371 Market St., from 2-5 p.m. This is a drop-in event. Award winning poets will present the spoken word through poetry and storytelling. Each poet will read twice during the afternoon. For full information, contact Bruce Majors at 618-8909. http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_146487.asp

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CWG Members Published in Devotions for Writers
Marcia Swearingen, Judith Nembhard, and Karen Phillips of the CWG Christian market writers' group each have a devotion featured in the recently published Daily Devotions for Writers, a fund-raising project for The Writing Academy, a nonprofit organization. To learn more, visit http://www.buybooksontheweb.com/ or The Writing Academy's website, http://www.wams.org/ .

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An Editor's Blog
http://editorunleashed.com/

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Interview with Agent for Children's Author
The latest exclusive interview on the GLA blog is with literary agent Kelly Sonnack of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Kelly, who recently left the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency to join AB Lit, specializes in children's fiction and graphic novels.
See the full interview on the GLA blog.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009
CWG NEWSLETTER -- WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2009

Southeast Review Online
Interview with Dale Peck
http://southeastreview.org/2009/peck0217.php
With a lower number of entrants than usual into SR's contest that was to end March 1st, they have extended the deadline to March 20th. Here is your chance to be published in one of the top Literary Journals in the country and win some cash.
http://southeastreview.org/contests.php

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Meacham Writers' Workshop
UTC's biannual writing conference is scheduled for March 19-21 and is free and open to the public. This conference will consist of readings by visiting authors as well as Saturday morning workshops. Visiting writers will include Marvin Bell, Nathan Bell, Xu Xi, MarcFitten, Pamela Uschuk, William Pitt Root, Gaylord Brewer, and Sebastian Matthews.
Readings:
Thursday, March 19, 7:00 pm at Chattanooga State University
Friday, March 20, 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm at UTC's University Center Raccoon Mtn. Room Saturday, March 21, 2:00 pm at Rock Point Bookstore
Workshops:
Saturday, March 21, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at UTC's University Center, rooms TBD.

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Member Julianne Hale Wins Award
...A feature I wrote for Birmingham Parent magazine won the Gold Award for Editorial Excellence from Parenting Publications of America...I'm under a deadline...for the Riverbend feature for CityScope magazine. I did get to interview Three Dog Night and The Commodores and I *MAY* get to interview Willie Nelson, which would rock my world.

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Member Book Signing Thursday, March 5
Author: Sybil Baker
Location: Rock Point Books, 401 Broad Street, Chattanooga, TN 37403 US
When: Thursday, March 5, 7:00PM
Novel: The Life Plan

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GRIST, Tennessee's New Literary Journal
The new national literary journal from the University of Tennessee, GRIST, is looking for writers.
http://www.gristjournal.com/?CFID=2603243&CFTOKEN=32274904

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Available Online--ASJA--Monthly Publication
The latest public section of The ASJA Monthly published by the American Society of Journalists and Authors is now available for download (PDF). The newest issue, April, features using social media to promote your work. Other months are also archived.
http://www.asja.org/newspub/newspub.php

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Glimmer Train Stories -- Submissions Due March 31
The Fiction Open closes March 31. Word count range: 2,000 â€“ 20,000. First place wins $2,000 and publication in Issue 75 of Glimmer Train Stories. Second- and third-place winners receive $1,000/$600 (or, if chosen for publication, $700).

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Fiction Writing Made Fun and Also Easier
Experienced writer Randy Ingermanson laces his website and ezines with humor, sharing his Snowflake method for planning a novel, as well as great ideas for marketing writing.
http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/

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Winning Writers Contests Newsletter
Subscribe to monthly newsletter listing poetry and other writing contests.
http://www.winningwriters.com/newsletter/public/2009/nl_public_0903sup.htm

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Chicken Soup for the Soul: True Love--101 Heartwarming and Humorous Stories about Dating, Romance, Love and Marriage
...A fun new book about dating, romance, love, and marriage, scheduled for publication in January 2010, for Valentine's Day, with true stories and poems about your soulmate, your true love, the one that got away, and all the ups and downs of your love life. Stories can be serious, hilarious, or both. We prefer stories and poems written in the first person of 600-1,200 words. Some suggested topics:
Dating adventures - the good and the bad, how you met, internet searching and dating, speed dating and other strategies, when did you know, proposals/wedding stories, senior dating and love at a certain age, making marriage work, second chances.
If your story is chosen, your bio will be printed in the book if you so choose. You will also receive a check for $200 and 10 free copies of your book, worth more than $100. You will retain the copyright for your story, and you will retain the right to resell it. SUBMISSIONS go to: http://www.chickensoupforthesoul.com/form.asp?cid=submit_story . DEADLINE is May 31, 2009. Also check the site for other submissions now being solicited.

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Diverse Group of Storytellers, Poets, & Musicians Collaborate at Barking Legs on March 7
"... a very talented group of artists whose paths would not usually cross ... on stage together," says storyteller Jim Pfitzer. He's co-producing the show at Barking Legs Theater along with storytellers and poets Finn Bille and Vincent Phipps.
Along with Bille, Pfitzer, and Phipps, the line-up includes storyteller Isaac Blevins, Poet Ray Zimmerman, hammer dulcimerist Rick Davis, fiddler Christie Burns, trumpeter Chad Garrison, and other special guests. Each act blends a spoken word performance and music.
A frequent collaborator with other musicians, Rick Davis says, "Instead of responding to music, (in this project) I am inspired by the story and how it is told...There's a different dimension to it."
Some proceeds from this event will benefit a South side family who recently lost their home to a fire.
Barking Legs Theater is located at 1307 Dodds Avenue in Chattanooga. Show begins at 7:00 on Saturday, March 7, 2009.
Tickets are $10 at the door. For more information, contact Jim Pfitzer at 423.987.0003 or jim@jimpfitzer.com.

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Please send writer news, accomplishments, opportunities, contests, etc. to Karen H. Phillips, kphillipso@aol.com . If at all possible, submit one week in advance. For example, if you're a writers' group leader, submit your meeting information one week before your meeting, as it otherwise may not be published in time. Thanks for all the helpful information you send--we writers thrive with support and encouragement!