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I received wonderful news a while back that my short story, "Sky High Stitches," had been selected as a Judges Pick for the upcoming anthology, WELL VERSED 2012. The Columbia, Missouri Writers' Guild publishes this collection of writings--fiction, nonfiction, and poetry--annually. Here is their description of the anthology:


The Columbia Chapter of the Missouri Writers' Guild annually publishes the anthology Well Versed. It has grown from what poets would call "chapbook" size to a two-hundred page volume. Every year submissions come from a greater area, giving the judges a wider choice of works to consider. The judges are professionals in the writing field, which puts the contest for publication high on a writer's list to enter.
Well Versed - Literary Works 2010 was named anthology of the year at the Missouri Writers' Guild Conference, an honor of which the chapter is very proud.

I'll keep you posted when the publication is in print and available for purchase. Three of my poems will be included as as well.

Such a nice writerly start for this year!

The anthology sponsored by Missouri Writers Guild to raise funds for libraries impacted by the Joplin tornado is now available for purchase. Visit the STORM COUNTRY website for specifics on how to order.

My short story, "The Blizzard and the Baby," is included in the collection of stories and poems, highlighting stormy Midwest weather. This story is a fictionalized account of an adventure in my father's life as a young man living in Northwest Kansas. It was my joy to help him share this experience with others.

What stories can you learn from your parents and grandparents? Why not try writing them down to help preserve a bit of family history? Or use a real-life event as a starting place for a fiction story of your own.

Are you a writer and a teacher? A writer and a parent? Do you have dreams of authoring your own book and hoping kids and /or adults will use it someday?

If you live in the Midwest and are looking for a great writing conference to go to, I highly recommend The Missouri Writers’ Guild Conference. The theme is Just Write!, and the dates are: April 8-10, 2011.

It’s being held at the:
Sheraton Westport Plaza Hotel St. Louis
900 Westport Plaza. St. Louis, MO 63146
http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/missouriwritersguild

For the latest updates about conference news:

Check their website frequently and follow them
on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MoWritersGuild and
on their conference blogspot at http://mwgconference.blogspot.com, where you can find interviews with speakers and more information about programs that will be going on at the conference.

Here are some of the scheduled speakers:

*Lia Brown, Avalon Books,
www.avalonbooks.com

*Krista Goering, The Krista Goering Agency,
www.kristagoering.com

*Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary Agency,
www.nelsonagency.com

*Kathleen Ortiz, Lowenstein Associates,
www.lowensteinassociates.com

*Marcy Posner, Folio Literary Management,
www.foliolit.com

*Susan Swartwout, Southeast Missouri State University Press,
www6.semo.edu/universitypress/

*Kelli Allen, managing editor, Natural Bridge, a journal of contemporary literature,
www.umsl.edu/~natural

*C. Hope Clark, founder, editor, publisher,
www.fundsforwriters.com

*Steve George, editor-in-chief, The Saturday Evening Post magazine,
www.saturdayeveningpost.com

* Margaret Mincks, associate editor, Spider magazine for children,
www.cricketmag.com

*Deborah Reinhardt, managing editor, AAA Midwest Traveler magazine,

http://www.ouraaa.com/traveler/

Currently, there are EARLY BIRD SPECIALS! If you are an MWG member, you can go to the conference for $130 (before 12/31/10). If you are an MWG chapter member, your price is $140 and non-members are $160 before 12/31/10. So don’t delay. Sign yourself up. Ask for this for Christmas. Follow your writing dreams in the New Year!

I'm crazy busy this week! Thurs-Sun, I'll be in Missouri for a conference, so I'm gearing up for that. I'm doing two presentations and a panel. I'm glad to be going to St. Louis for something OTHER than surgery or doctor appointments. I had my spinal fusion in St. Louis, so I have a bad association with the city. But this visit is actually for something fun. I think, after this trip, my opinion of St. Louis will change. Fingers crossed.

I'm also writing BEST ENEMIES (CC #5) and am attempting not to keep watching the Twilight DVD. 'Cause, you know, that would be uncool. :) Do not ask me how many times I've watched it. Seriously.

Also, just FYI, I've had waaaay too much coffee. This has been a habit over the past couple of days. My friends are suffering from my "OMG! I've had eighty cups of coffee! Can you tell?! Can you?!" state. I'm like Elf and coffee is the new syrup. LOL.

It's a bad sign when you're so jittery that your fingers keep hitting the wrong keys. My poor manuscript is soo full of typos. It's sad. And those are in addition to the regular ones. *grins*

And this was the most random post ever. Ignore me. :)