MOMADAY SUBJECT OF NEW INTERVIEW

Voices of Oklahoma has just released an interview with Dr. N. Scott Momaday, National Medal of Arts recipient, Pulitzer Prize winner, and Oklahoma Centennial Poet Laureate, recorded on December 21, 2010. In his own words, Dr. Momaday discusses how his Native American heritage has influenced his writing, gaining him international acclaim (http://www.voicesofoklahoma.com/n_scott_momaday.html.



Voices of Oklahoma, directed by John Erling, is dedicated to the preservation of the oral history of Oklahoma. Voices and stories of famous Oklahomans and ordinary citizens are captured forever in their own words. Visit our website to access all available interviews.


Voices of Oklahoma

http://www.voicesofoklahoma.com/ ( they are also on Facebook)

WHEN DEATH RODE THE RAILS. MARILYN A. HUDSON

Amazon.com

Developed from an intriguing monograph which excited interest among law enforcement and amateur sleuths alike, WHEN DEATH RODE THE RAILS questions if a serial killer may have worked the rail systems of early day Oklahoma. Her ongoing research has uncovered some very interesting additional finds and some possible out of state links to similar deaths. The manuscript explores early railroad history and chronicles intriguing deaths reported from 1900-1920 along Oklahoma rail roads. Along the way, other fascinating historical details emerge including a series of multi-state ax welding killings where the assailant also used the rails.

A Whorl Books, 'Haunted By History' series title.

About the Author

Marilyn A. Hudson is the Director of Library Services at Southwestern Christian University in Bethany, Oklahoma. Prior, she served as public services librarian for the Metropolitan Library System and as a library media specialist for Norman Public Schools. Listed in the 1997 Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities, she was the 2002 recipient of the OLA Outstanding New Librarian Award, and member of the Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society, Golden Key, and Phi Kappa Phi. Her general research interests are in history, especially social, religious, and church history; women’s studies; mythology, folklore and storytelling. 


Hudson was lead writer and editor of the book, One Night Club and A Mule Barn: The First 60 Years of Southwestern Christian University and has also authored, Those Pesky Verses of Paul: Examining Women in the New Testament, The Bones of Summer: A Collection of Chilling Tales, Tales of Hell's Half Acre, Elephant Hips are Expensive, and others. She received a B.A. in History and an M.L.I.S. from the University of Oklahoma.  She currently working on a novel with a co-author.

 

188 pgs., softbound.

BOOK FESTIVALS?

I am getting requests from people about book festivals planned for 2011-2013.   Please submit if you have plans for a book festival or author/book focused event in the Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, or New Mexico areas open to authors.


2011 -
Sept. 17 - Duncan,Oklahoma, Chisholm Trail Book Festival (See story elsewhere on blog) . July 1 is the deadline to register.

Author To Attend "Spirit of Oklahoma Storytelling Festival", June 4, Seminole

Catch author Marilyn A. Hudson, with copies of her chilling story collection, THE BONES OF SUMMER at Seminole State College and the Annual Spirit of Oklahoma Storytelling Festival this Saturday, June 4the. She will be sharing a story with other great storytellers at 4 p.m. and have copies of her book for sale. Come for the festival and purchase a book autographed by the author!

BATTER UP!: BOOK SIGNING, ARDMORE, June 4th

Saturday, June 4 · 1:00am - 3:00am    at the The Bookseller ( 614 W Main St, Ardmore, OK 73401-4724 Phone +1 (580) 223-8642 )

Peter G. Pierce, author of "Baseball in the Cross Timbers" has two new books out about baseball teams in Ardmore.

The first, Territorians to Boomers: Professional Baseball in Ardmore 1904-1926 tells the story from the time the Territorians took the field as a semi-pro club in 1904 to July, 12, 1926 when the Boomers moved on to greener pastures in the Ozarks. The Second, Indians, Cardinals and Rosebuds: Professional Baseball in Ardmore 1947-1961 covers the decade of membership in the Sooner State League and the short 1961 season of the Texas League Rosebuds who, like the Territorians, took shelter in Ardmore following flight from their home town.

Pierce is an adjunct professor at the University of Oklahoma where he was honored by being named the Distinguished Alumnus from the College of Arts & Sciences in 2005 and the Journal-Record’s Innovator of the Year in 2007 for his course for graduating seniors “Life After OU – A Survival Guide”. He also teaches a junior level course on the history of baseball. He holds degrees from the University of Oklahoma and Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University. When he isn’t teaching, Pierce divides his time among Norman, Ardmore and New Orleans. His hobbies include minor league baseball research, golf and travel. He is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. He has two children and three grandchildren.

Two New Books Take A Look At The Other Side of Oklahoma History

Oklahoma author Marilyn A. Hudson, announces the publication of two new books that explore some of the history that did not make it into the history books!  "These are two fun titles," noted Hudson, " I found some really interesting stories and one thing led to another."

TALES OF HELL'S HALF ACRE, is 100 pgs., softbound, and looks at some true stories from the period when the thriving center of OKC life was an area known as "Hell's Half Acre."  Roughly located in the area of the current Cox Convention Center and the Myriad Gardens it was a wild and wooly place filled with some fascinating characters and activities before and after statehood.

WHEN DEATH RODE THE RAILS is 180 pgs., softbound, and follows the trail of some strange and true deaths along Oklahoma railroads between 1900 and 1920 and asks, "Did a serial killer stalk early Oklahoma?"  Along the way some interesting facts about Oklahoma railroads and some insights into life 'in the good ole' days.'

Both titles will be available on Amazon June 20, 2011.  For other works, or to read about forthcoming titles, visit Whorl Books.

EXCITING BOOK EXPLORES CHEROKEE HISTORY

Following the earthquakes of 1811, false prophets appeared among The Real People. The Cherokee struggled to revitalize their ancient religion amidst witchcraft, missionaries, and white intrusion of every kind. The Myth Makers, a family saga, explores the resulting fractured myths. Set against the backdrop of Indian Removal, Comes Back at Night, the medicine man, Isaac Smoke, and Raincrow attempt to piece together a shattered world. Upon arrival in the new Indian Territory, 1839 Raincrow fulfills his destiny and a little girl named Quatie begins to embark on what will become hers.


A registered member of the Cherokee Nation and former high school English teacher, Judith Houston-Emerson studied four years at the Art Students League in New York City, worked for the National Museum of the American Indian, and was a consultant for the Cherokee and Philbrook Museums in Oklahoma. As a visual artist, she taught Art History of the American Indian at the University of Central Oklahoma.


J. Houston-Emerson is a writer, storyteller, painter, and teacher. Her inspiration comes from Cherokee cultural heritage and her creative work in the arts. Her debut novel "The Myth Makers" is at its core a family story, and yet its broader narrative engages the reader in the complex history of Indian Removal and the earlier days of Indian Territory. The author's series of paintings "The Shape Shift Series" is grounded in her understanding of this history and her own first-hand experiences in a similarly complex world.  - John Haworth (Cherokee), Director National Museum of the American Indian's Heye Center, New York City


The Myth Makers cover art painted by J. Houston Emerson. Order here.

A NEW BOOK FOCUSES ON GUTHRIE AND LOGAN COUNTY

Glen V. McIntyre is a native of Kingfisher, Oklahoma and is a graduate of Kingfisher High School. He attended the University of Oklahoma at Norman where he received a B.A. in History in 1969 and an M.A. in History in 1971. In 1992, received a second Masters from the University of Oklahoma, this time a Masters of Liberal Studies Degree with Museum Emphasis.

He worked from 1979 to 1983 as the Historic and Educational Specialist for the Division of Planning and Development of the Oklahoma Tourism Department. In 1983, he had the unusual distinction of being appointed the Curator (Director) of the Chisholm Trail Museum and Governor Seay Mansion in his old home town of Kingfisher. After serving there for 10 years, in 1993 he was transferred to the then Museum of the Cherokee Strip in Enid, Oklahoma where he served in various positions until he retired in August of 2010 as the Director of The Archives Department of the Museum of the Cherokee Strip, renamed the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center. In addition he has been an adjunct instructor at Phillips University in Enid in 1994, teaching Oklahoma History, and an Adjunct at the Enid Campus of Northwestern Oklahoma State University where he taught Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece and England to 1688.

He has deep ties in Guthrie and Logan County. His great uncle lived there for many years and is buried in the Guthrie cemetery. His uncle lives in Guthrie to this day. His great-grandfather on his Grandmother’s side took place in the Land Run of 1889 and homesteaded in eastern Logan County. His mother grew up in eastern Logan County and he went through Guthrie on the way to her old home many times growing up.

He has loved to write all his life, publishing poems in magazines at the University of Central Oklahoma at Edmond and Southwestern Oklahoma State University at Weatherford. He has published articles on Oklahoma History in The Chronicles of Oklahoma, American West Magazine and The Saturday Evening Post, and two articles on Ancient Egypt in KMT magazine. This love of writing culminated in 2009 when he published his first book with Arcadia Publishing, Kingfisher and Kingfisher County and now Guthrie and Logan County.

He is an active member of the Federated Church in Kingfisher (Presbyterian-United Church of Christ) and is currently the lay representative from his church to Cimarron Presbytery in Northwest, Oklahoma.

The book, published by Arcadia,  is available on Amazon , Barnes and Noble, and through better book stores and libraries.  Media inquiries should be directed to: Erica Winters, Marketing Specialist, 843.853.2070 x 192 or ewinters@arcadiapublishing.com

5 TIPS FOR WRITING A BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT NEWS RELEASE...

5 tips for writing a book announcement news release that will get used by the pressBy Sandra Beckwith

A book announcement press release helps us tell the world our new book is available for purchase. It’s often sent to the media with a copy of the book or a note asking if the journalist would like to receive a complimentary review copy. It’s also included in the book’s press kit. It’s not the only media relations tool you’ll want to use to generate book buzz, but it’s an essential resource when your goal is to tell the media outlets read, watched, or listened to by your book’s target audience that there’s a new book they’ll want to know about.

An effective a book announcement press release is written in a journalistic format that mimics how a magazine or newspaper would write about your new book. It uses the traditional news release format that journalists are accustomed to receiving.

Because this is such an important tool – and because there is a trend among inexperienced publicists to turn the announcement into an advertisement that journalists will reject, not embrace – it’s important to understand how to write a release that will get read and used.

Here are tips designed to help you avoid common and costly errors with your important announcement release.

1. Use the traditional news release format. This includes your contact information, a headline, and your announcement written in a journalistic style. Study the press releases at www.prweb.com and www.prnewswire.com for examples. Don’t use graphics, multiple columns, or different fonts, sizes, and colors.

2. Remember that you are not the news. Your book is the news. Unless your name is recognizable, don’t put it in the headline. “New book details secret World War II plot” is more compelling than, “John Brown’s first book is about World War II.”

3. Avoid using superlatives. A news release announces news in a factual way, so limit your descriptive text to the facts. This isn’t a book review expressing an opinion – it’s an announcement that a journalist would like to copy and paste into a publication. That’s why you want to avoid language – “fabulous,” “best-ever,” “fascinating” – that you won’t see in a news story.

4. Distribute your announcement release in text format, not as a PDF file. It is easy to copy and paste text from an e-mail or from a Web site; it is hard to copy text from a PDF file. The more you make somebody work to use your information, the less likely they are to do so.

5. Tell us where to buy the book. This is the key chunk of information most often omitted in the homework assignments submitted by students in my book publicity e-course. Remember to include the title, publisher name, publication date, price, and information about where it can be purchased.

In addition to distributing your release to your targeted media outlets – including online options such as blogs – post the release on your Web site so it can be found by search engine users. Your goal is to get your news in front of the people who are most likely to buy your book.

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You have permission to reprint the article with this required author credit:
Sandra Beckwith offers a free book publicity and promotion e-zine at www.buildbookbuzz.com and teaches the “Book Publicity 101: How to Build Book Buzz” e-cours

Oh No! I Am Being Interviewed - What Do I Do?

It is bound to happen to any author at some time. It might be a snaggle-toothed elementary child or a sleek videographer on the local cable news show, whatever the setting be prepared for an interview.

Remember these fundamentals:

1. It is all about the book.

2. It is all about the book.

3. It is all about the book.

Bring every question, every comment, back to the point of the interview.

Some questions are going to be asked to simply get you settled. Some to check the sound or the lights. Few are designed to trip you up  - many are filled with just inane and tiring questions to be repeated endlessly while promoting a new work.

1. Be brief.

2. Be positive.

3. Be yourself - only better.

4. Bring it back to the book.

"What is your book about?" is not an introduction for you to ramble for 30 minutes. It is your chance to give a 30-60 second 'sound bite' teaser.

"How did you get started writing?"

Quick, dynamic and to the point answer.

"What is the next book?"

Always have a plan for the next book...one hit wonders do not resonate.

"Do you have a specific writing style?"

Tie your style to a known name - name drop blatantly!  "If you like Dean Koontz, you will enjoy [insert the name of your book].   Note: always insert the name of your book!

"What is the message or theme of your book?"

Sub-text: is this an enjoyable read or one of those 'literary things' I will find boring? Remember the common themes of literature: survival, family, fear, struggle, accomplishment, etc.  Hitch your story to an easily understood descriptive star.

Special note: Can you describe your book in the space of an index card?  Can you do so using virbant action words? Can you convey the mood of the story without giving away the whole story? Can you 'tease' artfully or do you just bluntly strip exposing everything to the reader?

FOUR WAYS AUTHORS CAN ATTRACT MORE READERS (AND BUYERS) FASTER

by Bob Baker

Attracting new fans. Admit it, that's what having a book published is all about -- getting more people to read your words, know about you and buy your books. And hopefully, getting a LOT more people to do those things.

Why else do you work so hard to craft chapters, paragraphs, sentences -- even individual word choices? For what other reason do you fight off sleep so you can finish just one more section before you call it a night? I don't believe you go through these things to amuse yourself and hone your grammar skills in obscurity. You work hard because you know you have something of value to offer ... and you want to reach as many people as possible with your ideas.

Marketing is the thing that helps you reach that goal. But marketing is also a subject that confuses a lot of writers. Whether they write fiction or nonfiction, are self-published or traditionally published, writers the world over know they need to promote themselves. But many don't know where to start, much less how to continue marketing effectively.

Does this describe you? If so, consider the following scenario:

Let's say you went to an average U.S. city and rounded up 1,000 people and gathered them in a giant VFW hall. These 1,000 folks would be randomly chosen and made up of people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. Next, you'd distribute information about your book, talk to these people and even let them read sample chapters.

After this direct exposure, what are the chances that one person out of those thousand would be attracted to your ideas and personal identity enough to buy your book? Most writers, regardless of how obscure their subject matter is, should feel pretty confident about being able to win over at least one new fan from this group of 1,000. That's a one-tenth of one percent conversion rate.

Now let's multiply that reasonable formula by the entire U.S. population of 285 million people. One-tenth of one percent would be 285,000 people. That would be enough fans to make you a bonafide bestselling author. Right?

So how do you find and connect with those one-in-a-thousand buyers (without the use of VFW halls across the country)? Most likely, you can't afford the massive advertising budget of major companies. These corporations spray their marketing message over the masses, knowing that it'll only stick to a small percentage of the population.

The solution: You must find creative, low-cost ways to go directly to those fans who make up that one-tenth of one percent. Don't waste your time and money promoting yourself to people who will most likely never embrace your words.

Here are four steps to take to reach those new fans:

1. Define Your Distinct Identity

You must have a firm grasp on what your writing (or latest book) is about. And you must be able to define it clearly and quickly. What sets your book apart from others in its genre? What attitude or social statement do you (or your book) make? Generic self-help, romance or science fiction titles won't cut it. Dig deeper and discover your unique identity. When you do finally reach some of those rare potential fans, don't lose them by not being clear about who you are.

2. Describe Your Ideal Fan

Once you have a handle on who you are as a writer, it's time to paint a clear picture of your ideal fan. Can you articulate how your readers dress, where they work, what TV shows they watch, what they do for fun and who their favorite cultural heroes are? Observe the types of people who come to your public speaking engagements or readings, and note what they have in common? Conduct simple online surveys with people who visit your web site or subscribe to your e-zine. Knowing precisely who your fans are will dictate what avenues you use to reach them and how you communicate your message once you do reach them.

3. Determine How to Get Access to Your Ideal Fans

Once you know exactly what type of fan you're going after, start making a list of the various resources these specific people are attracted to. What magazines and newspapers do they read? Where do they hang out? What radio stations do they listen to? What retail outlets do they frequent? What web sites do they surf to? What e-mail newsletters do they subscribe to? For example, if your fans are mostly Harley riders, go to a search engine like Google and start entering keywords related to motorcycles. Evaluate the search results and compile a list of the many good sources you uncover.

4. Network and Promote Yourself and Your Book

Armed with this targeted list of contacts, get busy! Send e-mail press releases to niche media outlets. Contact the webmasters and editors of appropriate publications. Post messages in specialized forums. Visit and interact via the web sites of similar authors or reading groups. Contact organizations and charities related to your writing niche.

In short, go to where your ideal fans are. And market yourself through these outlets relentlessly. Why spend too much time and money trying to promote to everyone ... when you can save money and be far more effective by going directly to those valuable one-in-a-thousand fans?

Bob Baker is the author of "Unleash the Artist Within," "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook" and "Branding Yourself Online." Get a FREE subscription to Bob's newsletter, "Quick Tips for Creative People," featuring inspiration and low-cost self-promotion ideas for artists, writers, performers and more. Visit PromoteYourCreativity.com for details.

FREE Reprint Rights - You may publish this article in your e-zine or on your web site or blog -- as long as the author bio/blurb at the end is included.

MEET AUTHOR: SARAH ASHWOOD

A genuine “Okie from Muskogee,” Sarah Ashwood grew up in the wooded hills outside the oldest town in Oklahoma. Author of the poetry volume A Minstrel’s Musings (published 2009) and the YA fantasy novel Knight’s Rebirth (to be published 2011), along with many other published poems and pieces, Sarah is newly married since August 2010 and looking forward to being a mom in July 2011. Along with her cousin and fellow author Dara England, Sarah is co-editor of the romance webzine,Moon Washed Kisses. For more information on Sarah and her writing, as well as links to her books, published pieces, and webzine, please visit www.sarahashwood.com.   Now you can find her on Facebook, too!

If you would not be forgotten

As soon as you are dead and rotten

Either write things worth reading

Or do things worth the writing

                                         --Benjamin Franklin

 http://www.sarahashwood.com/ 

New Book Features Oklahoma Scholar

In 2010, on the Tulsa ORU campus, an international gathering explored Pentecostalism in the 21st century.  Scholars and leaders presented academic addresses and led discussions.  Noted historian, Dr. Vinson Synan, gathered some of the premiere papers into one representative volume.   Dr. Terry Tramel of Bethany's Southwestern Christian University was one whose presentation was selected for inclusion.  Tramel, author of the book The Beauty of the Balance, is the Dean of the SCU Graduate School of Ministry.

Dr. Terry Tramel, Dean of the Southwestern Christian University School of Graduate Ministry, addressed the 'Empowered Conference' in 2010 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  His address on "Pentecostalism in the 21st Century in Light of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral" has been included in the newly published book, Spirit-Empowered Christianity in the 21st Century(Charisma, 2011) edited by world renowned Pentecostal historian and scholar. Dr. Vinson Synan.

About the book:  

What does a re-vision of the Charismatic/Pentecostal Spirit-empowered movement look like in the coming years of this millennium? The first century of this revival seems to attest that the Lord raised up the holiness and Pentecostal movements not only to be custodians of these distinctive truths, but the perpetuators of them as well. If any generation ceases to accentuate this emphasis, the movement likely will forfeit the right to be recognized as such.

When the Pentecostal message is preached, published, and proclaimed through triumphant song, an atmosphere is sustained for people to experience anew and again the reality of salvation, holiness, charismata, wholeness, and hope. Such a revival will be biblically based, rationally sound, traditionally accurate, and experientially real.

Spirit-Empowered Christianity in the 21st Century is an authoritative compilation of the presentations from thirty leaders in the Charismatic/Pentecostal movement given at the Empowered 21 Conference in Tulsa, OK, in April 2010. These chapters share emerging insights on how the next generation will handle the profound issues facing Christians within the Charismatic/Pentecostal movement in the 21st century. For example, one portion covers the topic of the 21st century renewal while another discusses how we can protect our Charismatic distinctive. Another portion will highlight Charismatic adaptations for reaching this present age, discussing issues of social and economic justice, prosperity and suffering, challenges to urban ministry, the future of the next generation, Oneness Pentecostalism, and missiological aims in North America.  The book is available on Amazon.com (click title above for link).

Book of Oklahoma Labyrinths - Updated Contact Information

Read about it here.

The publisher now has a power point about the book as well. So, contact them if interested!

OKLAHOMA WOMEN'S HALL OF FAME ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Contact: Bonnie Ann Cain, APR

OSU Library
405-744-7331
lib-pub@okstate.edu

Story by Juliana Nykolaiszyn, Assistant Professor, OOHRP



Oral History Collections Highlight Women’s History Month



(March 17, 2011 Stillwater, Okla.) – Great resources for Women’s History Month with an Oklahoma focus are just a click away. The Oklahoma Oral History Research Program (OOHRP) at the Oklahoma State University Library hosts three online digital collections documenting the contributions of women in Oklahoma.




“Gathering oral histories provides an opportunity to pursue answers to questions left silent in what little archival material exists for these women, said Juliana Nykolaiszyn, assistant professor, OOHRP. “We invite you to explore the following websites and meet women who blazed trails, overcame obstacles and continue to inspire a new generation of women in Oklahoma.”







Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame Oral History Project http://www.library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/owhof/




Since 1982, the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame has recognized women who served as pioneers in their fields, made significant contributions to the state of Oklahoma, championed other women or women’s issues, or served as public policy advocates for the issues important to women. In 2007, the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program at the OSU Library started interviewing inductees of the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame in order to fill a gap in primary source documents concerning women in Oklahoma. This website includes brief biographies, interview transcripts, interview audio, video selections and links to other resources.







Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Project



http://www.library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/wotol/







During Oklahoma's first 101 years (1907-2008) only 77 women were elected to the Oklahoma Legislature. Forty-six of these remarkable women have now shared their stories as part of the project. Taken individually, these interviews reflect the careers and interests of the legislators; taken collectively they constitute a narrative of the role of women in the Oklahoma Legislature over time. This website includes lesson plans for teachers, transcripts of each interview, downloadable poster of women legislators and links to resources on women and politics.







Dust, Drought, and Dreams Gone Dry: Oklahoma Women and the Dust Bowl



http://www.library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/dustbowl/







Prior to the start of this project in 2000, many interviews had been conducted with people who remembered the whirling winds of the 1930s, but they presented a primarily male perspective of this event. Again and again men spoke of their wives and their mothers as being the glue that held their families together during these incredibly hard days. Between 2000 and 2002, the OSU Library located and interviewed more than 100 women individually or in groups about what they recalled from living during the period of 1932 to 1940 in the area of Oklahoma typically identified as the epicenter of the Dust Bowl. This website includes interview transcripts, interview audio, along with a bibliography of the Dust Bowl era.







These oral history collections are projects of the OOHRP. Formally established in 2007, the OOHRP at the OSU Library has collected and preserved firsthand accounts from individuals who have played a part in Oklahoma’s history. The Program explores the lives and contributions of Oklahomans from all walks of life. To learn more about the OOHRP call 405-744-7685, email liboh@okstate.edu, or visit http://www.library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/.





Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant system that cuts across disciplines to better prepare students for success. Oklahoma’s only university with a statewide presence, OSU improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research and outreach. OSU has more than 35,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 23,000 on its Stillwater campus, with students from all 50 states and 118 nations. Established in 1890, OSU has graduated more than 200,000 students who have made a lasting impact on Oklahoma and the world.





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AUTHOR TRAVELING TO COLLECT RESEARCH

Author and graphic artist, Cullan Hudson (Strange State: Mysteries and Legends of Oklahoma) will be traveling this

spring doing research.

Hudson's co-author of novel The Mound which will be out later this spring and the sequel to Strange State (due out this summer). "In May," Cullan Hudson reports on his popular blog, Strange State, " I will venture to Europe to explore its history and hauntings. Among the more interesting sites I will visit and report on are:

The mysterious French island of Mont St. Michel and its haunted abbey ; Paris and its paranormal places ; The ghosts of Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral and Haunted Kent in England ; Haunted tales from Amsterdam; London's long history of paranormal happenings

I'm sure that my research will uncover more places to seek out between now and then. If you have any ideas on these fascinating places, I'd love to hear about it. I will also be in Lisboa (Lisbon), but haven't found out any stories there yet."

Hada's "Spare Parts" Named Winner

Ken Hada’s Spare Parts has been named the winner of the 2011 Western Heritage Award for Poetry by the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum announced Jeanetta Calhoun Mish, Editor,Mongrel Empire Press
(http://www.mongrelempire.org/). Earlier this year, Spare Parts was named a finalist for the Oklahoma Book Awards and last fall, four poems from the collection were featured on Garrison Keillor’s The Writer’s Almanac.


What follows is the official press release from the Museum:

March 1, 2010--America’s premier Western museum, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, is excited to celebrate its golden anniversary with the announcement of its Western Heritage Award winners. The awards honor works in literature, music, film, and television reflecting the significant stories of the American West. The 50th Anniversary of the Western Heritage Awards will be celebrated at a black-tie banquet April 16, 2011.

Each honoree receives a Wrangler, an impressive bronze sculpture of a cowboy on horseback. Awards presented in 2011 are for works completed in 2010. Qualified professionals outside the Museum staff judge all categories.


Literary Awards
There are seven categories in the literary competition. They include Western novel, nonfiction book, art book, photography book, juvenile book, magazine article and poetry book.

The Outstanding Western Novel is Impatient with Desire by Gabrielle Burton and published by Hyperion Books. A novel based on the Donner Party—a group of more than 80 pioneers who were snowbound in 1846 in the Sierra-Nevada Mountains, during which some of them resorted to cannibalism—is narrated through the hauntingly imagined journal entries and letters of Tamsen Donner. Donner, her husband, George, their five daughters, along with the other pioneers headed to California on the California-Oregon Trail in eager anticipation of new lives out West. Everything that could go wrong did, and an American legend was born.
Will Bagley takes the Wrangler for Outstanding Nonfiction Book So Rugged and Mountainous:

Blazing the Trail to Oregon and California 1812-1848 published by University of Oklahoma Press. Bagley crafts a sweeping narrative of a classic journey involving America’s westward migration. Over the course of three decades, almost a million eager fortune-hunters, pioneers, and visionaries transformed the face of a continent—and displaced its previous inhabitants. The people who made the long and perilous journey over the Oregon and California trails drove this swift and astonishing change. In this volume, Bagley tells why and how this massive emigration began. Illustrated with photographs and historical maps, So Rugged and Mountainous is the first of a projected four-volume history, Overland West: The Story of the Oregon and California Trails.


Robert Lougheed Follow the Sun lands the Western Heritage Award for Outstanding Art Book. Written by Don Hedgpeth and published by Diamond Trail Press the book focuses on the man behind Mobil Oil Company's legendary flying Pegasus and the creator of numerous magazine covers familiar to a generation of readers. Follow the Sun is the first book to showcase the full breadth of Robert Lougheed's artistic legacy. More than 400 full-color reproductions trace his trajectory from early Canadian studies of working horses to commercial work to Western scenes and timeless plein-air oils of European subjects. Hedgpeth makes clear why “contemporary Western art owes a major debt of gratitude to Bob Lougheed.” This book takes a long stride toward repaying that debt and introduces a remarkable artist to any who have not yet had the pleasure.

Kristina L. Southwell and John R. Lovett reveal the remarkable work of a pioneering woman photographer earning them the Western Heritage Award for Outstanding Photography Book. Published by the University of Oklahoma Press, Life at the Kiowa, Comanche, and Wichita Agency captures the essence of a budding photographer in 1890 when Annette Ross Hume arrived home to her frontier village in Anadarko, Oklahoma. Southwell and Lovett provide an illuminating biography of Hume, focusing on her life in Anadarko and the development of her photographic skills. Hume’s portraits of everyday life are unforgettable — images of Indian mothers with babies in cradleboards, tribal elders conducting council meetings, families receiving their issue of beef from the government agent, and men and women engaging in the popular pastime of gambling. The Annette Ross Hume collection has been a favorite of researchers for many years. Now this elegant volume makes Hume’s photographs more widely accessible, allowing a unique glimpse into a truly diverse American West.

Off Like the Wind! The First Ride of the Pony Express by Michael P. Spradlin is the Outstanding Juvenile Book. The novel, published by Walker & Company, a Division of Bloombury Publishing Inc., tells the story ofthe first Pony Express rider who set out on a trail from Missouri to California in 1860. With him, he carried a special delivery — the first mail ever carried by hand to the West. Over the next 11 days, he and many other riders would endure harsh weather, dangerous animals and more, but nothing would diminish their unflagging determination and courage. Meticulously researched and gorgeously illustrated, Michael P. Spradlin and Layne Johnson's Off Like the Wind! brings to life an adventurous journey, full of suspense and excitement, that celebrates America's can-do attitude and pioneering spirit.

Writer Frederick J. Chiaventone takes top honors for Outstanding Magazine Article with “Taking Stock of the Pony Express,” published in Wild West Magazine/Weider History Group. Chiaventone is a former Army officer and author of the Wrangler-winning novel “Moon of Bitter Creek.” His Wild West article on “Taking Stock of the Pony Express” was written to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the short-lived but legendary Pony Express horseback mail service.

The Outstanding Poetry book winner is Spare Parts by Ken Hada and published by Mongrel Empire Press. This book of poems, acting as spare parts in themselves, is touted as the making of one smooth-running, powerful engine of ingenuity. Hada is a fourth-generation Oklahoman and professor at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, where he teaches American literature and courses in the humanities.


Western Music
The Western Heritage Music competition includes three music categories: new artist, original composition and traditional Western album. This year, awards are being presented in two categories.

“Shortgrass” by R.W. Hampton, produced by Joe DiBlasi and Gary Bright, wins for Outstanding Original Composition. Off the Cimarron Sounds album “Austin to Boston,” “Shortgrass” was written as a tribute to Hampton's son Cooper (and Cooper's best friend, Dawson) who joined the Marines while in high school. The two buddies have now traveled the world, and their service to the United States has been honored in perpetuity by Hampton's memorable song. Although what is considered the shortgrass country stretches from the Southern Rocky Mountains to Alberta, Canada, Hampton’s little Clearview Ranch is located at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, a chain within the Rockies in Northeastern New Mexico. It is popular country for raising horses since it gets its name from the short, but potent, native grasses that are suited to the windy high desert region.

In the category for Outstanding Traditional Western Album, the top honors go to “Gillette Brothers – Cowboys, Minstrels and Medicine Shows” recorded by the Gillette Brothers and produced by the Gillette Brothers and Craig Swancy. Recorded live at the Camp Street Café in Crockett, Texas, Guy and Pipp Gillette present 13 mostly old-time tunes featuring two tracks with Guy rattling bones. Therollicking CD is relaxing Western flavor honoring the slower paced life of the cowboy from the Old West. The award-winning duo plays cowboy music based on Celtic roots music, country blues, minstrel tunes and medicine show tunes in the style of the Old West.


Film and Television
Six categories comprise the film and television awards. They include theatrical motion picture, television feature film, docudrama, documentary, television news feature and fictional drama. This year, awards are being presented in only four categories.


The Outstanding Theatrical Motion Picture is “True Grit,” produced by the Coen brothers, Ethan and Joel, and also Scott Ruben. Steven Spielberg, A.C. Lyles and Paul Schwake were the executive producers on this film. This is the second adaptation of Charles Portis’ 1968 novel, which was previously adapted for film in 1969 starring John Wayne. Following the murder of her father by hired hand Tom Chaney, 14-year-old farm girl Mattie Ross sets out to capture the killer. To aid her, she hires the toughest U.S. Marshal she can find, a man with true grit, “Rooster” Cogburn. Against his wishes, she joins him in his trek into the Indian Nations in search of Chaney. They are joined by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf, who wants Chaney for his own purposes. The unlikely trio finds danger and surprises on the journey, and each has his or her “grit” tested. The film stars Hailee Steinfeld, Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper.
In the category for Television Feature Film, the top honors go to “Temple Grandin,” produced by Scott Ferguson and directed by Mick Jackson. The idea for a biopic of Grandin originated with its executive producer Emily Gerson Saines, a successful talent agent and a co-founder of the nonprofit Autism Coalition for Research and Education. Claire Danes stars as Grandin, a woman with autism who revolutionized practices for the humane handling of livestock. Through mentoring and sheer will the young autistic woman succeeds against great odds. The made-for-tv biopic also stars Julia Ormond, Catherine O’Hara and David Strathairn.


“Wyatt Earp” is the Outstanding Documentary. Discover the true story of iconic Wild West lawman Wyatt Earp in the “American Experience” series. His reputation as a deadeye quick-draw cemented during the shootout at the O.K. Corral, Earp would later rise to the status of folk hero thanks for his tireless efforts in taming the west. But Earp wasn't always the do-gooder the legends made him out to be. In this documentary, executive producer Mark Samels and producer Rob Rapley eschew the myth in favor of the man, tracing the troubled youth of a drifting opportunist who married young, then fell in with a lawless crowd following his wife's untimely death. It was precisely those underworld ties, however, that helped to establish Earp's credibility as a lawman, and led him straight to the 1881 gunfight that historians are still talking about today. Later, after avenging his brother's death and fleeing to Los Angeles, Earp spent his last days searching for redemption and a means to reclaim his tarnished image.

Capturing the top spot for Fictional Drama is “Yella Fella & the Lady from Silver Gulch” directed by Norton Dill, produced by Slats Slaton and James Riley with executive producer Jimmy Rane. This short drama harkens back to the golden days of the Westerns. Jimmy Rane is Yella Fella and with the help of veteran Western movie stuntman Dean Smith they rescue the Sarah, a young lady held for ransom. With music from Grand Ole Opry members Riders In The Sky to enhance the motif this short drama has an old Western message—that good triumphs over evil.

The 2011 Western Heritage Awards is sponsored by Conoco Phillips and Wrangler along with supporting sponsors Republic National Distributing Company and associate sponsor OKC Convention and Visitors Bureau. Additional support provided from Museum Partners Devon Energy Corporation, Chesapeake Energy Corporation and the E.L. and Thelma Gaylord Foundation and Major Museum Support from The Oklahoman.

The Western Heritage Awards are open to the public and reservations can be secured by calling (405) 478-2250, Ext. 219. Ticket prices for Friday night’s Jingle-Jangle Mingle are Nonmembers $40 and Members $30. The Western Heritage Awards banquet ticket prices are Nonmembers $175 and Members $145.

The National Cowboy Museum, America's Premier Western Heritage Museum™, is supported through memberships and private and corporate donations. The Museum offers annual memberships that include year-round admission for six people, subscription to the award-winning, quarterly publication Persimmon Hill and discounts for events and at The Museum Store. Nationally accredited, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is located in Oklahoma City’s Adventure District at the junction of I-44 and I-35. For more information about the Museum or for a calendar of events, visit www.nationalcowboymuseum.org or call
(405) 478-2250.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Contact: Shayla Simpson – Director of PR & Museum Events
E-mail: ssimpson@nationalcowboymuseum.org
Phone: (405) 478-2250, Ext. 221
Fax: (405) 478-4714

New Novel Announced

Whorl Books announces a new novel called THE MOUND, to be released this summer, by authors Cullan Hudson and Marilyn A. Hudson. Cullan Hudson is author of the popular, Strange State: Mysteries and Legends of Oklahoma and Marilyn A. Hudson is author of the recently released, The Bones of Summer. See the promo.

'SPECIAL ABILITIES' by Jerry Evans

A family secret of special powers, chance encounters with special meaning, and life changing self-discovery: all are part of the new novel by Edmond author Jerry Evans.

"As an independent ten year old Rembrandt travels alone by bus to visit his grandparents where he soon begins to learn secrets concerning the forces of nature along with a few family secrets. Granddad discloses his special abilities and reveals that one day Rembrandt will possess the same abilities, but more importantly, he will raise a son with abilities far surpassing those of his own. He soon learns the secrets he believes were implemented to construct the great pyramids of Egypt, Stonehenge, the Coral Castle and many previously unexplained phenomena. Unable to reveal his special abilities, he fails to see their purpose. "

Old-Line Publishing, January 2011

276p., softbound, ISBN: 978-1-937004-14-9

$15.95 at Amazon.com

$ 7.95 Kindle

SACRED COWS OF SCIENCE

Sacred Cows of Science: No Objectivity Allowed. edited by E. Norbert Smith, PhD.

In the vein and tone of Expelled, this is sure to be a major work that no doubt will receive many mixed reviews. The publisher notes, "It has stepped on the toes of many scientists who believe in Sacred Cows and will not ever dare stir the pot differently. Here, there is enough evidence to make the jury get hung up.

Conduct your own study by exploring these fascinating entries: 17 different authors have contributed to this fabulous work.

(There are a number from OK with degrees that make them heavy enough to swing a bat at the fallacies taught in our schools as well as other heavyweights across the country.)

Educators need to read this, "if they dare" says the editor and publisher. They warn, however, many who have tried to buck the system have found themselves persecuted in the very system that is supposed to teach truth and educate the people. "Many have been fired, threatened with bodily harm, so much so that some have had to use a pseudo name to operate from. Read what these brave men have written for the world to see."

To order on Amazon.

WRITING PROGRAMS

News from William Bernhardt:

I’m sending this email to everyone who has attended or shown interest in my writing programs. I’m excited about the workshop and seminars scheduled for 2011. First and foremost is the annual Summer Writing Workshop, June 4-5. This year, the headline guest is John Lescroart (pronounced “Les-KWAH”). John is not only a good friend and a great teacher, he is one of the five or six best writers working today, in my opinion, with more than a dozen New York Times bestsellers. His novel, The 13th Juror, is a seminal work, singled out in the recent book, 100 Great Reads. I’ve been trying to get him for years, and this time I succeeded. I know everyone will benefit from meeting John and his lovely longtime wife Lisa. Registration is limited to 75 people.

I enjoyed having the Workshop at TU, so we’re returning to this year, but to a different building on campus, one with better facilities and more comfortable chairs. I think you’ll be pleased. As always, participants will have complete access to all guests and speakers, including a chance to meet one-on-one with the literary agents in attendance. We will also have more interactive panels, like last year’s “First Page” panel or the “Pitching” panel we’ve had for many years. We will have sessions designed for all levels of writers, but with a special emphasis on providing useful information to writers with a work-in-progress needing a push toward publication.

I’m also hosting small-group seminars in June and July in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The seminars are designed for writers with a work in progress, those who are serious about working hard to get their books published. As before, each seminar is limited to ten participants, and this is the only time I’ll be teaching seminars in OK this year. So if you’re interested, please sign up as soon as possible. This year, for the first time, I’m offering discounted rates for those wishing to take two seminars in the same year, for instance, the Level 1 seminar, and then later, the Level 2. I’m also starting some of the seminars on Saturday, so those who work during the week can attend but miss fewer workdays.

Discounted rates are available for everyone enrolling before April 1. To view the brochure my friend Nan Bishop prepared to promote this year’s programs click on this link. http://www.williambernhardt.com/annual_workshop_40_3099182119.pdf Please feel free to print or email it to your writing group, writing friends, libraries, or bookstores. Spread the word! As always, if you have any questions, just email me or call 405 683 2881. And in the meantime, remember—never give up.

Keep writing—

William Bernhardt

www.williambernhardt.com

RAVENWOOD - STEPSON OF MYSTERY

Airship 27 Productions & Cornerstone Book Publishers bring back another classic pulp hero from the 1930s in an all new collection of fast paced, macabre adventures of the supernatural. Meet Ravenwood – Stepson of Mystery!



He is an orphan raised by a Tibetan mystic known only as the Nameless One. As an Occult Detective he has no equal and is called upon by the authorities when they are challenged by supernatural mysteries. One of the more obscure pulp characters, Ravenwood – The Stepson of Mystery appeared as a back-up feature in the pages of Secret Agent X magazine. There were only five Ravenwood stories ever written, all by his creator, the prolific pulp veteran, Frederick C. Davis.



Now he returns in this brand new series of weird adventures, beginning with this volume in which he combats Sun Koh, a lost prince of Atlantis, battles with monstrous Yetis in Manhattan and deals with murderous ghosts and zombie assassins. Four of today’s finest pulp storytellers Frank Schildiner, B.C. Bell , Bill Gladman and Bobby Nash offer up a quartet of fast paced, bizarre thrillers that rekindle the excitement and wonder that were the pulps.



With a stunning cover by Bryan Fowler and dramatic interior illustrations by Charles Fetherolf, Ravenwood – Stepson of Mystery was designed by Rob Davis and edited by Ron Fortier. Once again Airship 27 Productions presents pulp fans with another one-of-kind quality pulp reading experience like no other on the market today.



Cornerstone Book Publishers also publishes Masonic and esoteric books, selected pulp fiction, art literature, limited children's books, and poetry collections. For more information about Cornerstone, go to www.cornerstonepublishers.com.



Airship 27 packages and publishes anthologies and novels in the pulp magazine tradition.

In the past, Airship 27 has released “Weird Horror Tales: The Feasting”, “Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective”, a series of “Captain Hazzard” pulp thrillers, more pulp fiction in “The Green Lama” and “Secret Agent X”. For more information on Airship 27, go to www.airship27.com.





AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS – Pulp fiction for a new generation!



ISBN: 1-934935-82-4

ISBN 13: 978-1-934935-82-8

Retail Price: $24.95

Discounted at http://www.gopulp.info/

Electronic-version at http://homepage.mac.com/robmdavis/Airship27Hangar/index.htm

Feb. 15 Short Story Contest

NETWO Conference will be April 29th and 30th at Camp Shiloh, a beautiful setting on Lake Bob Sandlin near Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Men and women’s dorms are available at very reasonable prices. Camp site for RVs are also available near the conference hall. For pictures of camp sites, dorm accommodations, and previous speakers and programs please check us out at www.netwo.org

Our Short Story Contest (1000 to 2,500 words) will award cash prizes of:
1st - $150, 2nd - $100, 3rd - $50, 4th - $25

Entry fee: $8 for NETWO members, $10 for non-members.
Deadline for entering: February 15, 2011

Complete details on formatting, number of copies, etc. can be found on our website www.netwo.org

We hope each of you has a Merry and safe Christmas Season and New Years. We look forward to seeing you in April.

Sincerely,
Galand Nuchols
Short Story Coordinator



Galand Nuchols
Short Story Contest - Dead line 2/15/2011 Check it out www.netwo.org $325 in prizes

www.galandnuchols.com
blog http://galandnuchols.blogspot.com

BOOKS ADDRESS SEXUAL VIOLENCE, OFFER HOPE

Letters To Survivors: Words of comfort for Women Recovering from Rape has been two years' in the making. Women from around the world have bravely chosen to share their stories, wisdom, and advice from their journeys of healing. Letters came from women ge 18 to 65, form America to Britain.

Each of them wrote a personal letter form the heart to all "future survivors" - other women who have endured the trauma of rape or sexual abuse.

This book will save lives. It offers a message of hope without being preachy or superficial. It is not triggering or expicit, and can be read by a person at any stage of healing, and of any age. The artwork is uplifting, and the words are gentle and poignant. Letters To Survivors is a book that can be given as a gift, offered to clients in therapy, or distributed by crisis centers.

See also his insightful and helpful, Resurrection After Rape

Matt Atkinson is a Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Professional. He has worked as a director of prevention of domestic and sexual violence, where he developed and implemented programs with women’s prisons, university sports teams, churches, schools, and Indian tribes. Matt has also counseled youth and adults, including more than 500 Survivors of rape.

Matt is frequently sought as a presenter/speaker and interview subject, and has been invited to travel to New Zealand to help develop a documentary about sexual assault recovery in diverse world cultures.

Matt has degrees in Art/Human Physiology, Behavioral Science, and a Master's in clinical Social Work from Oklahoma University. He is married and has two sons, and is an Ojibway Oshkaabewis (pipe-keeper) and regularly participates in ceremonies. He is currently writing two new books for 2010.