We enjoyed a good meeting this Monday. Darlien brought copies of the Las Vegas calendar featuring a paragraph she wrote about the city, and well as copies of her new book “Power and Action.” We heard and critiqued six readers.
Announcements:
Fred Rayworth will be speaking to the group at our December 9th meeting. Scroll down to read an interview with Fred.
The Holiday Party is December 16th at Tina’s House. If you need the address or haven’t yet had a chance to RSVP, please email Tina (christina [at] bajabrody [dot] com). Potluck, BYOB, it’ll be a lot of fun! We hope to see you there.
This holiday season, keep our raffle at our conference in mind. Start thinking about what you might like to donate.
The Spring Fling Book Fair is March 29th at the Clark County Library. The organizers want to have 150 local authors at the event, if you want to participate (great venue to sell your books and promote your work!) then email Julie Okabayashi (okabayashij [at] lvccld [dot] org). The slots will be filled on a first come first serve basis. Our group will have a table, and we will need volunteers from the group to staff our table. If you’re interested, contact gregory (gregory [at] kompes [dot] com).
Brags:
Congratulations to Judy Logan on getting her author website up and running. Check it out at http://judyshinelogan.com
Congratulations to Paul Atreides on his play Fusion being featured on the 911 memorial website. It’s featured in the Artist Registry as a written piece until filming can take place.
Congratulations to Gigi Honour on getting back into writing again. The book “Walking on Aligators” helped her get writing again.
Quote of the Night:
“He had a long, narrow face and a jaw that came to a sharp conclusion, like an exclamation point at the end of his face.”
-From “Alabama Blue” by Toni Pacini
Writing Tip from Jo Wilkins:
“Flash backs are a useful tool to add missing elements to the plot, but can be dangerous to the pacing of your story. They should be short and to the point.”
Interview with HWG member Fred Rayworth:
Fred is one of our most regular readers, and I very much enjoy hearing from him each week. He’s retired from the Air Force, has two master’s degrees, and currently works as a medical biller for the government. His hobbies include writing, woodworking, music (rock and roll), and amateur astronomy. You can find him online at http://fredrayworth.com
1. Fred, what’s some of the best advice you were given about writing?
I used to have a lot of spare time at work. Now I have to write after work and on weekends. As with anything I write, I just sit down and do it. It comes out of the air. I’m not kidding. I sometimes thing a bit about it beforehand. As with ANY project, I know where I want to start and where I want to end. Everything else in the middle is a total surprise. I have a subject, I just start writing. Period. If I need to research, I do it when I run across something that needs it, otherwise, it comes out of the air. My Polka-Dot Sewer provides all I need.
Adventure/thrillers, fantasy, science fiction, icky bug (horror), and occasional non-fiction (astronomy, music, reviews, personal stories-I hate the word memoir).
Follow your muse. ONLY write because you want to, not because you have to. ONLY write because you feel the need to (inside), not because you think you have to for external reasons. DO NOT write because you think you are going to make money. Write for your own satisfaction. No writer should suffer for their art. If you don’t enjoy every aspect of it, find another pursuit! It doesn’t get any better!
662 rejections, two publishing contracts for two of my novels, publisher is belly up, still under contract, but may never see them pubbed, still one agent query out there, one fantasy novel and the sequel being looked at, waiting for next conference to try again… Oh yeah, one icky bug with a publisher who’s had it for a year… No interest in self-pubbing except maybe e-pubbing but the math don’t add up. Etc…
6. When you’re not writing what do you do for fun?
Woodworking, observing under a dark sky with my telescope, listening to or playing music, gardening, reading other people’s books.
Thrillers and icky bug (horror). Occasional mysteries.
Thanks Fred!
Upcoming Meetings:
Our next weekly meeting is Monday, November 18th, at the Coffee House in Henderson. Next Wednesday, November 20th, is the monthly poetry meeting at Skinny Dugans. In two weeks, November 25th, we have a speaker, John Williams from “Let’s Talk Nevada.”
Good looking newsletter.
The Okabayashi email address came back as unknown.
I forgot the j in the email. It should read okabayashij at lvddld dot org. You can also contact Julie by phone at seven 0 two, 507- three 4 five 8.