As a marketing expert and CEO of her own fine art supply company, Victoria has learned that small businesses are best driven through community, whether it’s online or in person. Additionally, she’ll share tricks to branding and social media posting. She loves to answer questions and open dialogue.

Victoria began her career in marketing, design, and branding with Disney at 19 years of age with her more recent work as a special guest on morning shows, designing for NASA, writing for Forbes, and branding clients such as ESPN and pro athletes, but her greatest joy professionally is helping the little guy look like they’ve hired a costly marketing firm using her 30 years of industry experience.

Victoria uses a holistic approach to branding her clients to showcase who they are to their core along with proven strategies for social media exposure.

She lived in Amarillo for several years and has since moved back to Utah to be close to family but hasn’t lost her Texas love!

When Victoria isn’t writing content, shooting videos for social media and designing experiences for her clients, she’s creating northern lights art, loving on her two dogs Biscuit and Chowder, and spending time by the water.

Writing & Branding Portfolio:

Forbes

NASA

NBC

ABC

FOXTV

ESPN

Discovery Channel’s Orange County Choppers

Huffington Post

Dear Texas High Plains Writers,

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new Discord server, specifically designed to serve as a critique group for our esteemed writers’ community. This platform will provide an excellent space for sharing and receiving constructive feedback on your writing projects, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment.

To ensure a seamless onboarding process for everyone, we have outlined the steps below for joining our exclusive Discord server:

Step 1: Verify Your Membership

Membership in the Texas High Plains Writers group is a prerequisite for accessing our Discord server. As the server is exclusive to paid members, kindly ensure that you have become a paid member by following the appropriate process (details on our website). We will be verifying membership status before sending out invitations.

Step 2: Get Discord on Your Preferred Device

To join the server, you will need to have the Discord app installed on your preferred device. Discord is available on both smartphones and computers. If you wish to use Discord on your computer, please click on the following link to download the desktop version: https://discord.com.

 If you already have Discord on your device, please ensure you know your account information (username and password).

Please note that you can use the same Discord account across multiple devices, so you only need to create one account that works for both your phone and your computer.

Step 3: Request an Invitation

Once you have confirmed your Texas High Plains Writers membership and have Discord set up on your device, it’s time to request an invitation to our Discord server. Simply send an email to info@texashighplainswriters.com

With the subject line: Discord group, and include the following details:

Your Discord account name (username)

Your full name

Date of your most recent renewal of your Texas High Plains Writers membership (details for verification).

Kindly refrain from including your Discord account password, as we do not require it for the invitation process.

Once we receive your request, we will promptly send you an invite within the Discord app, granting you access to our vibrant community of writers and critique partners.

If you encounter any issues or have any questions during the process, please feel free to reach out to us on our Facebook group, and we will be more than happy to assist you.

We look forward to welcoming you to our new Discord critique group and exploring the boundless creativity and talent that makes up the Texas High Plains Writers community!

Happy writing and critiquing!

Kim Black and Samuel Black

Texas High Plains Writers

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,83451168611#,,,,739493# US (Houston) +16699009128,,83451168611#,,,,739493# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
Meeting ID: 834 5116 8611
Passcode: 739493
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/klxyJHTEu

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.

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
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,88685333649#,,,,022523# US (Houston) +16699009128,,88685333649#,,,,022523# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 886 8533 3649
Passcode: 022523
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/knjTh2o17

Tex Thompson is…

• 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!