January 15, 2022, Program: Tex Thompson

At last! After all those hundreds of hours spent slaving away at the keyboard, your first draft is finally done. Now you can sit back and bask in the glory of your beautiful, shining… unpublishable mess.

Never fear! This fast-and-furious revisionary rumble will fire you up to pummel your plot, pulverize your prose, and kill your darlings with bloodthirsty red-penthusiasm. No fear – no shame – no surrender!

Mark Your Calendar for Giving Tuesday

ThePanhandleGives.org

#ThePanhandleGives #GivingTuesday

November 22-30, 2021

You don’t have to live in the Texas Panhandle to support the over 100 years old Texas High Plains Writers (THPW).

#ThePanhandleGives is nine days of enhanced charitable giving to support diverse nonprofits in the Texas Panhandle.

From November 22 through November 30, go to ThePanhandleGives.org, find Texas High Plains Writers, and donate.  Help THPW raise over $250 by making a donation so it will qualify to receive Amplification dollars from the Amarillo Area Foundation.  Amplification dollars are a percentage of the funds raised during The Panhandle Gives campaign. 

What that means is the more funds THPW raises through The Panhandle Gives, the more funds THPW will receive from the Amarillo Area Foundation beyond the amount donated to THPW.

Mark your calendar today to donate from November 22 through November 30.

November 20 Program, Kenja Purkey

Kenja Purkey

Featured in PR Week and Accent West magazines, Kenja Purkey is a media, marketing, and advertising professional with more than 30 years of experience. She is a former news anchor, congressional media representative, and has 20 years of general marketing and advertising experience in both the government and private sector. In addition to being the Marketing Director for The People’s Federal Credit Union, she is a professional speaker specializing in general marketing, social media, and generational media consumption habits.

Our meeting and program will be held at 1314 S. Polk in Amarillo, in the Sharpened Iron Studios.

RegistrationMeet & Greet9:30 – 10:00 a.m.

Business Meeting10:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Program10:15 – 12:15 Open to the Public. Guests are always welcome!

Click “How to Join” for details about dues and member benefits.

September 18 Program, Taylor Moore

Acclaimed author Taylor Moore to speak at Texas High Plains Writers program

AMARILLO, Texas — Local author Taylor Moore — fresh off the release of his critically acclaimed debut thriller, “Down Range” — will be the featured guest at the September meeting of the Texas High Plains Writers.

Taylor Moore, Author of Down Range

The program will begin at about 10 a.m. on Sept. 18 at Sharpened Iron Studios at 1314 S. Polk St., just south of downtown Amarillo. The program is free for members, and guests can pay $10 at the door. Copies of “Down Range” will be available at the meeting for purchase and to be signed by Moore, courtesy of Burrowing Owl Books.

Moore, an Amarillo resident and sixth-generation Texan, is a former analyst and operations officer with the CIA and consultant for the Department of Defense. Moore then went on to help secure mineral rights as a landman in the Texas Panhandle before becoming a full-time author and speaker.

“We are beyond thrilled to have an author of Taylor’s caliber speaking for our members and guests,” THPW President Rick Treon said. “It’s been a while since we had someone come in who’s just had such a major debut released by a Big Five publisher. And the fact that it’s set right here on the High Plains makes it that much more exciting for us.”

Moore signed a two-book deal with William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, in May 2020. “Down Range” is the first book in Moore’s series about an undercover DEA Special Agent Garrett Kohl who must help protect an Afghan orphan and his family from the ravages of the drug trade near Canadian, Texas. Book 2 in the series is in production but no release date has been set.

His debut has been called “intense,” “riveting,” and “stunning” by New York Times bestselling thriller authors such as Mark Greaney, Brad Taylor, and Don Bentley.

Moore’s presentation will include his publishing journey, and how many years it truly takes to become an “overnight success” in traditional publishing.

For more information about Taylor Moore, visit his website at taylormoorebooks.com.

July 17th Program, John & Mark Erickson

We’re excited to announce that our July program will be held in person at a new venue. We’ll meet at Sharpened Iron Studios at 1314 S. Polk, south of downtown Amarillo, at 9:30 am.

Our speaker will be John Erickson, author of the Hank the Cowdog books, and his son, Mark.

John Erickson

The Ericksons will be speaking, in part, about selling theatrical rights for books and the experiences they’ve had, both good and bad.

For more information about John Erickson or Hank the Cowdog, visit www.hankthecowdog.com.

RegistrationMeet & Greet: 9:30 – 10:00 a.m.

Business Meeting: 10:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Program: 10:15 – 12:15 

This meeting will also be held virtually through this Zoom link:

Kim Black is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: July 17 THPW Program
Time: Jul 17, 2021 10:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83451168611?pwd=Qkx4NkFiNm9EZnpiaHJlS3phcmxaUT09

Meeting ID: 834 5116 8611
Passcode: 739493
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Meeting ID: 834 5116 8611
Passcode: 739493
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/klxyJHTEu

Save the Date!

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is panhandle-gives.png

THE PANHANDLE GIVES – November 22 – November 30, 2021

THPW is participating in The Panhandle Gives, an annual event hosted and coordinated by the Amarillo Area Foundation. The event begins on the Monday before Thanksgiving and ends on the global day of giving known as Giving Tuesday. That’s November 22 – November 30, so mark your calendar.  More details to come.

May 15 Program, Tex Thompson

Juice Box Hero

Juice-Box Hero: Squeezing Plot From Character
They say there are only six plots. Maybe seven. But there are a million characters – and a great one can make an author’s career. If you have an AMAZING character (or ten), but are struggling to sustain their storylines – or if your intricate, masterfully-crafted plot feels a bit flat on personality – have no fear. Come on out and discover how to distill a story that readers will remember from characters they’ll never forget. Bring your enthusiasm and all your burning questions!

Topic: THPW May Program with Tex Thompson
Time: May 15, 2021 10:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88685333649?pwd=cUZneEhlZHNUNGxVZmpnTXV6c3dLdz09

Meeting ID: 886 8533 3649
Passcode: 022523
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Dial by your location
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Meeting ID: 886 8533 3649
Passcode: 022523
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/knjTh2o17

Tex Thompson is…

Tex Thompson.jpg
  • a ruckus-raising professional speaker, writing instructor, and all-purpose extrovert
  • a licensed and practicing locksmith in Dallas
  • founder and chief instigator of WORD (Writers Organizations ‘Round Dallas)
  • a developmental editor and can-do ‘book doula’
  • author of the Children of the Drought fantasy Western series of novels
  • owner of possibly the last website on the entire Internet without a newsletter pop-up form (though you are certainly welcome to sign up for monthly Tex Messages 🙂 )
  • an egregiously enthusiastic, catastrophically cheerful one-woman stampede!

March 20 Program – Ask the Author

Join us at 10:00 am on Saturday, March 20th, for a panel of Authors ready to answer all your burning questions about the writing craft, including research, plotting, editing, publishing, marketing, and more.

Our panel consists of both traditional and indie-published authors, representing a wide range of genre fiction.

Linda Broday

Linda Broday is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of Historical Western Romance, with five multi-book series and contributions to a dozen anthologies. She has a list of accolades too numerous to count here, including the THPW 2018 Writer of the Year. For more about Linda, CLICK HERE.

Kim Black

Kim Black is an award-winning indie-author of Historical Christian Fiction, Mystery/ Suspense, Sci-Fi/ Western, and children’s books. Her books all feature strong female leads. For more about Kim, CLICK HERE.

Ryan McSwain

Ryan McSwain is an indie-author of reality-bending fiction featuring monsters, cosmic horror, comic book heroes, and twisty suspense. He’s also a master of short-story humor and nostalgia. For more about Ryan, CLICK HERE.

Rick Treon

Rick Treon is a newspaper journalist turned award-winning Mystery/ Suspense author. His novels are rich with the grit and gravel of the Texas Panhandle. For more about Rick, CLICK HERE.

Visit the THPW Facebook page to submit questions in advance, and watch for the upcoming Zoom link to join in the discussion.

ZOOM INVITATION:

Topic: THPW March Meeting Ask the Author Panel
Time: Mar 20, 2021 10:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89959441078?pwd=SkVrUmJ6aUVCYzkrNmxzUzdlUUdkUT09

Meeting ID: 899 5944 1078
Passcode: 709756
One tap mobile
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Dial by your location
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+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
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+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 899 5944 1078
Passcode: 709756
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kuKE8L9yl

The Anthology is Out!

Click here to purchase!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1733862145?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860

Contents

Introduction – Ricky Treon

Writers Block – Mike Akins

Remnants of Her – Kim Black

The Miracle – Linda Broday

A Flicker in August – Mary Cooke

Finn – Cheryle Cooper

Impossible Dreams – Dahna Danli

The Mower Incident – Bobbette Doerrie

Blood & Honey – Hunter Fithen

6 Stall Walk Through – Dean Guell

Challenge – Lynn Harper

The Beast – Ashley Hendrick

The Hooded Way – Lynette Jalufka

The Choice – Audrey Cannady Massingill

Footprints on the Heart – Phyliss Miranda

The Second Proposal – Ashlyn Parker

Saving the Water Aerobics Class– Mevanee Parmer

Roadside Crosses – Elise Phillips

The Problem of Suffering – James D. Quiggle

Failed Journey to Fiji – Janda Raker

Swedish Girl Powwows with Mountain Men – Betty M. Reeves

It Is Going to be Okay – Lou Sheldon

Old Fishing Rods Wanted – Lou Sheldon

Hunger – Coby C. Spurrier The Last Gasp – Rick Treon

(c) 2018 Panhandle Professional Writers D/B/A Texas High Plains Writers

Texas High Plains Writers
PO Box 19303
Amarillo, TX 79114

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