Author: Kim Black

Tired of being locked up in your house?  Want to get out for a while?  Maybe take a drive?  Check out a different neighborhood?  Read a good book while enjoying the warmer weather?  Buy Texas High Plains Writers’ centennial anthology With Words We Weave, A Celebration of the Past without paying Amazon shipping prices.  It’s a great, entertaining, and easy way to support your local writers’ group.

Since we don’t know when THPW will have the next in-person bi-monthly meeting and program, below is information on how you can get your copy(ies) now.

Go to https://texashighplainswriters.com/index.php/donations-and-dues/, click on the yellow “Donate” button.  The cost is only $10 per copy.  Make sure you note that it is for the anthology.

Once you’ve paid, call or text me, Janet Taylor, THPW Treasurer, at 806.282.1227 to make arrangements to pick up your copy(ies) from my front porch.  (I live near downtown Amarillo.)  In these days of trying to avoid the coronavirus and to keep you safe, I will wash and sanitize my hands before I place your book(s) in a paper sack.  I hope to hear from you soon!

IMPORTANT:  Don’t forget that the theme for the 2021 anthology is “Challenges” and the deadline for submissions is July 31, 2020.

·       500-2,500 word short narrative works, fiction or non-fiction. Any genre. (see exceptions* below)

·       THPW Member Fee – $10.00

·       Non-member Fee – $50.00 ($10 submission fee, $40 membership dues)

·       Industry standard manuscript formatting: Times New Roman 12pt font, 1″ margins, double spaced; author name and page # in upper right-hand corner. 

·       Author bio included in submission – the organizers and editors will not hunt down bios nor hold production for authors who fail to include bios with their story submissions.

·       Multiple submissions accepted, only one per author will be selected. $10 additional fee for each additional submission

·       Email manuscript to info@texashighplainswriters.com, subject “2021 Anthology Submission” no later than July 31, 2020

·       Regular Mail must be postmarked on or before July 31, 2019  – Mail submission and fees to

THPW Anthology Contest
PO Box 19303
Amarillo, Texas 79114
 

*No erotica, incest, or extreme violence. Stories with these elements will be disqualified from consideration. Submission fees will NOT be refunded for disqualified submissions.

Kim Black will present “Getting All Your Ducks in a Row,” a quick session about all the non-writing elements that go into self-publishing and marketing.

This program will be conducted online, with more details coming soon.

Kim is an award-winning indie author of six novels, two children’s books, several short stories, a blog, and other workbooks and journals. Visit her website http://kimblackink.com/ for more.

THPW March 21 Meeting is Cancelled. 

Jodi Thompson has graciously offered to reschedule, with more details to follow.

Be careful. Be safe. Be smart. Be kind.

Because of construction, the Edward Davis Room is not available for our March 21st meeting. Instead, we will have our regular meeting at the Amarillo Downtown Library, 413 SE 4th St, between Pierce and Buchannan. We will meet in Rooms A and B. The rooms will be open for us at 9:00 and our program will begin at 10:00 am.

Our March speaker will Jodi Thompson, of Fawke’s Press. More information will follow in the coming weeks.

Make plans to attend and invite friends.

For a map and directions to the Downtown Libray, CLICK HERE!

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Kick-off the new year with a day of workshops!
Guest presenters include local authors
Jennifer Archer, Ryan McSwain, and KR Brorman.

The Edward Davis Room
9th Floor

First Bank Southwest Tower (formerly Chase Tower)
600 S Tyler St., Amarillo, TX 79101

8:30- 9:30- BOD meeting

9:30- 10:00- Registration

10:00-10:15- Business Meeting/ Game

10:15- 11:00- Kristine Brorman- “Co-Writing Fiction – Are you sure you want to do this?”

11-11:10- Break

11:10 – 11:55- Rick Treon – “Picking up the Pace- Tricks to keep your readers turning the page.”

11:55-12:30-  Break/Game

12:30- 1:30- Ryan McSwain- “How to Finish Your First Draft or Die Trying.”

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Clarity in Writing by Bill Briscoe

Is your story clear and the reader able to understand what’s going on? Or is it convoluted and muddled? If it’s the latter, do you know how to fix it?

Bill Briscoe, our November speaker, will share things he’s learned through his own writing process that may be helpful to you. He encourages you to bring a couple of pages of your work to check for clarity as he goes through his presentation.

His lovely wife, Liz, will also share what she’s done to increase his social media presence that may spark ideas. After all, if you’ve put a book out, what good is it if no one knows about it? So many busy authors overlook the importance of a social media platform and of studying various ways to market.

Author of the successful Pepperman Mystery Series, Bill Briscoe, grew up in the oil refinery town of Phillips in the Texas Panhandle. After a career spent working for a major insurance company, he turned his focus to writing the stories that had been rumbling around in his head for years. He’s published the first two mysteries in the series thus far with a new one set to release. When he’s not writing, you can find him watching baseball and football.

 

 

Putting Core Writing Elements Into Place

Our May speaker, Rosa Latimer, says, “Behind the everyday discipline of writing there are core elements that you must have in place to enable you to be successful in telling your story.”

Her presentation will focus on these main points:

• Organizing research
• Keeping the story on track
• Staying true to your purpose

No matter what you write, you have to have certain core elements. Almost every type of writing requires research—some more than others. Research can eat up your time. Often, we get so engrossed in little side roads that our story begins to meander, and we lose sight of the main reason for writing it.

Rosa will give us pointers and advice on how to stay focused on your goal. While most of her presentation will be on writing non-fiction, she’ll have basic information that will also help fiction writers.

She says, “Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, this information will help establish a simple, clear path to reaching your publishing goals.”

Bring pen and paper to takes notes.

* * *

Rosa has written a fascinating non-fiction series about Harvey House girls that are inspired by her grandmother who once worked in one of the famous restaurants and hotels that set up along the railroad lines. Each book is set in a different state. She’ll share entertaining stories from her books as well as her experience establishing and keeping a successful relationship with her publisher.

Besides being an award-winning author, Rosa is a playwright and an award-winning photographer. She’s also a writing consultant and teacher and has served on the faculty of the West Texas Writing Academy for the last two years.

Upcoming Programs

Our July Program will be a panel discussion with Indie Authors, including Natalie Bright, Ryan McSwain, Craig Keel, and Vickie Schoen.

Our September Program will be Robin Conley, the Book Doctor, who will present an all-day program.

Please mark your calendars and be sure to attend these events.

Canadian River Valley Writers

Finding Your Voice in the Texas Panhandle

April 13-15, 2018

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER OR FOR MORE INFO!