POPULAR BOOK ON OKLAHOMA'S MYSTERIOUS SIDE NOW AVAILABLE

In 2005, the first edition of Strange State: Mysterious and Legends of Oklahoma made its debut at the Red Dirt Book Festival in Shawnee, Oklahoma.  An immediate success, it was soon being read across the country and receiving great reviews.  Now, a third edition is available on Amazon.

Author and graphic artist Cullan Hudson has been busy at work releasing a novel, The Mound (now available on Amazon) and working on a sequel to Strange State as well as a story collection, tentatively called, Dark West.  He is also the author of the popular blog, Strange State.

This is the most comprehensive book on paranormal phenomena in the Sooner State. In addition to Ghosts, UFOs, Sasquatch and all else that goes bump in the night, this volume examines legends of buried gold, forgotten ghost towns, and mysterious places suffused with unexplained forces.

FINAL TITLE IN TRILOGY RELEASED

Airship 27 Productions & Cornerstone Book Publishers are thrilled to announce the release of the third and final book in Michael Vance’s Weird Horror Tales trilogy. Weird Horror Tales – Light’s End, is an amazing, page turning suspense thriller that is one of this author’s finest works to date and a fantastic culmination to this masterful terror filled series.

Welcome to Light’s End, a small, quaint little town on the rugged coast of Maine.  It’s a quiet place much like many other such communities throughout New England.  And yet there is a presence of evil about the streets and byways of this harmless appearing hamlet. For here, amidst the age old Yankee traditions of its citizens lurks a dark secret, a brooding, religious philosophy which infects every aspect of daily life.

Dare you enter Light’s End and uncover what lies beneath its pleasant, homey façade?  Dare you challenge your sanity and confront the sublime horrors that await you here, in this cursed nexus of dementia?

Award winning author, Michael Vance unleashes his dark imagination in this tense, gripping novel of sheer terror that readers will never forget. Often compared to the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, Vance’s work is not for the faint of heart, featuring a cover by famed painter Keith Birdsong and ten interior illustrations by extraordinary artist Eric York.  Bolt the door, lock the shutters and keep the candle lit, the end is near, Light’s End.

Vance has written for national and international magazines, and as a syndicated columnist and cartoonist in over 500 newspapers. His history book, “Forbidden Adventures”, has been called a "benchmark in comics history”. He briefly ghosted an internationally syndicated comic strip, wrote his own strip and several comic books. He is listed in the Who's Who of American Comic Books and Comic Book Superstars.

The publisher of the Weird Horror Tales trilogy, Cornerstone Book Publishers also publishes Masonic and esoteric books, selected pulp fiction, art literature, limited children's books, and poetry collections. All three Weird Horror novels are available on-line, at book stores, from Cornerstone, and as E-books. 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 “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.

ISBN:  1-613420-14-5   ISBN-13 978-1-613420-14-0

Digital copy available

Author Interviewed About New Novel Set In Oklahoma

Cullan Hudson, author of Strange State: Oklahoma Mysteries and Legends and co-author of the new paranormal suspense novel, The Mound, was interviewed by blogger Autumn Forest.  Read the interview here.

VOICES OF OKLAHOMA ANNOUNCES NEW INTERVIEW

Voices of Oklahoma has released an interview with another famous Oklahoma author, Michael Wallis, recorded on March 3, 2011.  Wallis has written 17 books, been published in national publications such as LIFE, Time, and The New York Times, and has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize several times.  In his own words, Wallisdiscusses his writing career and how he draws inspiration from the American Southwest.

Voices of Oklahoma, directed by John Erling, is dedicated tothe 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 availableinterviews.

Voices of Oklahoma www.voicesofoklahoma.com

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Writer'sWorkshop To Be Held in Norman

Four Oklahoma authors will be presenting at the upcoming Writing Workshop on Saturday, August 20th at the Performing Arts Studio and MAINSITE Contemporary Art in downtown Norman.

Authors who will be presenting during the workshop are Rilla Askew, Nathan Brown, William Bernhardt, and Mel Odom.

William Bernhardt will be focusing on characterization and plotting techniques, discussing the importance of conflict, pacing and adding layers of conflict to enrich a story. Mr. Bernhardt’s presentation will be from 9-11:30am at MAINSITE Contemporary Art in downtown Norman.

Nathan Brown will present on “How to Build Infrastructure for Poetry and Song”, dealing with how to construct frames and framework that one can hang lyrics and stanzas on so that they make sense to the reader/listener. In addition, he will touch on material generation and performance issues. His presentation will be from 9-11:30am at the Performing Arts Studio in downtown Norman.

Rilla Askew will focus on writing about place, with an emphasis on Oklahoma as a rich source for fiction and creative non-fiction. Her presentation will be from 12:30-3:00pm at MAINSITE Contemporary Art in downtown Norman.

Mel Odom’s presentation will discuss the potential of the e-book market, the emerging digital reader base, and walk the audience through the steps to put up an e-book on the Kindle and the Nook. Marketing methods through social networking will be covered. Mr. Odom’s presentation will be from 3:15-5:00pm at MAINSITE Contemporary Art in downtown Norman.

The workshop is free and open to the public, but registration is required. To register, please call 701-1839.

The Writing Workshop is made possible by the Oklahoma Arts Council, the Norman Arts Council, and the Pioneer Library System.

OKLAHOMA FEATURED IN NEW NOVEL

Whorl Books proudly announces the publication of the novel, THE MOUND, from authors Cullan Hudson (Strange State: Mysteries and Legends of Oklahoma) and Marilyn A. Hudson (The Bones of Summer: A Collection of Chilling Tales and the true crimes When Death Rode the Rails).

Cullan Hudson is a freelance graphic designer, writer, and the author of Strange State: Mysteries and Legends of Oklahoma, a nonfiction collection of strange-but-true tales from the Sooner State. His short story, "The Iron Door: Curse of the Sierra Jumanos" was included in the 2005 Red Dirt Anthology and his op-ed pieces have been read on several websites. Hudson has traveled the globe searching out strange places and there mysteries and he runs the popular blog, Strange State and will release Stranger State: More Mysteries and Legends of Oklahoma in 2011. He is also hard at work on a collection of short horror entitled Dark West.

PRAISE FOR THE AUTHORS:

FOR CULLAN HUDSON AND Strange State

"Hudson has shown himself to be good at digging into old cryptozoology cases in the Sooner State, especially as it relates to bigfoot." - Author  Loren Coleman, writing on cryptomundo.com

"Hudson takes you on an exciting journey..." - Oklahoma Today

“Hudson does an amazing job . . . you won’t be disappointed.” - Ravanne Alexander, Territory Tellers/Raven Guard Press

“. . . an entertaining read. Mr. Hudson has left few stones unturned in his research as he attempts to shake the truth free.” - Joel-Anthony Gray, Society for Paranormal Investigation

“[Hudson] did a fantastic job!” - Terri French, Paranormal Investigation Team of Tulsa (PITT)

“[The] book is great!!! I loved reading it... The writing style is very fun to read. I love the mixture of suspense and humor.” - Darline Massie, Norman Public Schools

FOR MARILYN A. HUDSON

"Marilyn uses a darkly poetic writing style to create atmospheric character-driven stories. The result: chills and a need to read the next." Keith Pyeatt, award winning author of Struck and Dark Knowledge.

"[She] has a way of captivating your senses and making you feel the emotions of her characters. The Bones of Summer demands your attention and leave you wanting more." Terri French White, author of Tulsa's Haunted Memories..

Order via Amazon.com

NEW BOOK ADDRESSES NEEDS OF ADULT CAREGIVERS

We are Invisible by author Molly Rogers Lemmons is a book for its time. It is a book for anyone who has ever been a caregiver. As an experienced caregiver who cared for her parents for over ten years she notes, "I learned a lot of what to do and not to do as our loved ones age. I thought maybe other caregivers could learn from what I experienced and maybe save themselves a lot of sorrow."  Available from Amazon. 

Molly Lemmons is author of Kind of Heart, Pure as the Driven Snow, and Seize the Flashbacks!

OKLAHOMA WRITER UNCOVERS A MYSTERY

DAN BROWN COULDN’T SOLVE THIS MYSTERY!  Trust Me the Untold Story of Mary Magdalene uncovers an ancient murder – one that affected not only the family and people close to it – but maybe all of mankind. You will find the author’s conclusions captivating. Never has a biblical exploration yielded such amazing conclusions.

Anne Urne made a simple decision to read the Bible and that quickly turned into a devotion and mission to learn which lasted decades. She sought answers to mysteries and found apocryphal books and ancient manuscripts that provided delightful synchronicities and powerful revelations that she shares in her books.

Available on Amazon and from the publisher. 

 Website:        http://www.media3.cc/Trust_me.htm

Email:             au444@cox.net

MODERN TAKE ON THE LAND RUN

http://markgraham.tateauthor.com/

Mark Graham, a native of Choctaw, Oklahoma, and currently living in North Carolina has penned a modern take on a chapter of Oklahoma history.

The story of this modern day Land Run twists and turns through events of fate, and no one in Willow Springs will be left untouched by this battle.

Developer Rusty Watson is determined to acquire, by any means necessary, a plot of land owned by an elderly man in the Willow Springs, Oklahoma, community. Driven by greed and personal torment, Rusty is hell-bent on retaliation against the one he believes took his son. But his adversary has different ideas.

Elijah Montgomery is the grandson of a former slave to the Creek Indian Nation. He resides in the local nursing home, though he still owns the house and land his grandfather was once slave to. Rusty and his cohorts believe Elijah’s tie to the land is simply sentimental. They hope he can, therefore, be bought with a price, but Elijah’s dreams show him something that no one else knows.

The story of this modern day Land Run twists and turns through events of fate, and everyone, including Elijah, will find that these events, like the extreme weather of their region, are driven by forces beyond their control. No one in Willow Springs will be left untouched by this battle. The unexpected conclusion to this contest of wills shows to all that this battle is not theirs to fight.

Available on Amazon

CHISHOLM TRAIL BOOK FESTIVAL HAS NEW WEBSITE

The event is Sept. 17, 2011 in Duncan, Oklahoma.  Be sure to drop by and visit with the authors, buy some books, get your photo with one of the creative folks and enjoy the event!

Web:http://www.chisholmtrailbookfestival.org/

OKLAHOMA PUBLISHER ANNOUNCES CHANGE

""

Tate Publishing continues to experience unprecedented growth and success, and I am grateful to each of our fine authors for their role in that achievement.

www.tatepublishing.com

     I am excited to inform you of some significant changes in our publishing house.  First, we are pleased to announce an updated corporate logo as well as our improved company website.  Click on the link below to experience a state-of-the-art web experience and take a moment and look up your book on the improved online bookstore. 

     We continue to receive tens of thousands of unsolicited submissions and inquiries each year and are still only considering a single-digit percentage for publishing. Our goal, however, is to work with a solid group of professional authors, such as yourself, and we have dramatically increased our focus on solicited manuscripts. As a part of the select group of Tate authors, we believe you will have a better understanding of the kind of author and work we seek to consider.  If there is an author you would like for us to consider, please email me his or her contact information,and I will get in touch with the author upon your professional recommendation.

 

Publishing Process http://tatepublishing.com/publishingprocess/

Key Marketing Group & Communications www.keymgc.com

Multimedia options http://multimedia.tateauthor.com/

In-house staff http://www.tatepublishing.com/staff.php

800+ events scheduled per month http://www.tatepublishing.com/calendar.php

Author testimonials http://www.tatepublishing.com/testimonials.php

AUTHOR TO PRESENT IN STILLWATER

Davis Farris will do a presentation at the Stillwater Public Library on August 4 at 7 p.m.  

His newest book, Oklahoma Outlaws, Spooky Stories, and All Around Folklore, expands on his earlier books, Mysterious Oklahoma and its sequel.

 Read more here.

8TH GRADER ANTHOLOGY HIGHLIGHTS OKLAHOMA

The Chisholm Trail Book Festival has focused on literacy and in 2009 involved local schools and students in the event through essay and creative writing contests. As a result, an anthology was produced and is now available online at Amazon.

It was edited by talented Oklahoma author Tonya Holmes Shook and features the work of Stephenson County, Oklahoma eight-grade students.  It features stories of cowboys, cooks, wranglers, and a trail boss.

Tonya Shook was the motivator for the original 'Border Queen Book Festival' in Comanche, OK which morphed into the 'Chisholm Trail Book Festival' now located in Duncan, Oklahoma.

The next CTBF is September 17, 2011 at the Duncan Convention Center.

CALLING ALL ILLUSTRATORS, GROUPS, PUBLISHERS, AND AUTHORS

OK Writers is the place to list news about your new publications, authors signings, book talks, interviews, and awards.

Illustrators, graphic artists, and book publishers can send their web-pages to be linked.

Book or author event promoters, writers groups, and book clubs can send news, photos, webpages, etc.

"OK Writers" is geared to promoting news of Oklahoma authors and publishers.  Outside of Oklahoma authors are welcome to submit to "Author Junction."   

Authors geared toward paranormal and horror can feel free to also submit news to "The Paranormal Librarian" and those who specialize in work for children should visit "Child Sized Stories"  where they can submit learning activities, coloring sheet information, and contests to go along with your books, as well as book signing opportunities.

Authors looking for reviews should consider submitting to 'REVIEW IT' - no guarantees, just an honest read by people who know books and apply professional standards.

CHISHOLM TRAIL BOOK FESTIVAL

Some author spaces still available, report planners:

Just a reminder that we still have places for the 2011 Chisholm Trail Book Festival.  For those of you that have sent your registration in, we appreciate it.  We wanted to let you know about some of the things going on that weekend. 

Duncan will be hosting "Western Fall Fest" September 16th -18th.  Come and enjoy all the following events:

The Chisholm Trail Heritage Center's (CTHC) annual  Western Spirit Celebration is a 2 1/2 day celebration of the Chisholm Trail and the cowboy way of life.  Events include chuck wagons, a horse pulling contest, cow-paddy bingo, a longhorn cattle drive, Dutch oven and cowboy coffee demonstrations, western art, cowboy poetry, and a western swing dance.  These events are free for everyone.  They will be hosting us for our Friday evening meal.  Authors will eat free and guests will pay $10.  CTHC will be setting up a special place for us to sit together.  We will be having a meal cooked by the chuck wagon participants and we'll have music and dancing under the stars. 

Duncan AMBUCS  presents its 4th Annual "Wine 'N on the Chisholm Trail" featuring Oklahoma wineries, food, vendors and entertainment.  It will begin Friday, September 16th at 5:00 and go to 9 pm. Then Saturday from noon to 7:00 pm at CTHC.  You must be 21 or older to taste the wine.

Stitching Memories Quilt Guild will be presenting its first Holiday Festival and Sew-cial.  There will be demonstrations and a quilt auction at CTHC.  They will have quilted and other items for sale, a quilt raffle, food from their cookbook and much more at the Stephens County Fairgrounds at 2002 S 13th St. in Duncan.

On the evening of September 17th Chisholm Trail Arts Council will present Asleep at the Wheel in concert at the Simmons Center.  The famed western-swing, boogie, and roots-music outfit has been around for nearly 40 years, turning out an incredible 25+ albums.  Join the fun-   $20 for 18 and over or $10 for 17 and younger. 

The third annual Chisholm Trail Book Festival is gearing up to have a wonderful turnout on Sept. 17.  We are partnering with all of the groups above for advertising and publicity and expect a large crowd. 

If you would like to stay in Duncan, the Hampton Inn is offering a discount for participants of Western Fall Fest.  

Contact Glenna Pace, Chisholm Trail Book Festival, AGapace@aol.com for information, registration forms, etc.

SCI-FI and HORROR EVENT IN TULSA

Still a few vendor tables left for authors in these genres...

Sci fi Horror weekend October 14,15 and 16 2011.

 Guests this year Sid Haig-Capt Spaulding from House of a 1000 corpses,Matthew Waterhouse-Adric from Dr Who , John Franklin- Issac from Children of the Corn, Courtney Gains-Malachi from Children of the Corn, Cory J Udler- Director of Incest death squad and Mediatrix, a special Oklahoma Premiere of Mediatrix written by Paula Duerksen staring Kaylee Williams and Shannon Lark, Brain Eating contest, Scream Queen contest and the first ever Pajama Party Massacre dance dress in your PJ's or come as your favorite Slasher and party, Movie Room, Photo Ops and more. 

Tickets on sale now and vendor space still available for more info go to http://scifihorrorweekend.​com/

GRAPHIC NOVEL BY OKLAHOMAN TEACHES INFORMATION SKILLS

McPherson College's Miller Library (Kansas) has exploded on the web with a novel approach to information and library skills.  The lure?  A graphic novel titled LIBRARY OF THE LIVING DEAD (.pdf) has become a phenomena as it has the library resources providing the tools to survive a zombie apocalypse.  Written by library director,  Matt Upson and colored by Oklahoma resident, Dustin Evans the graphic work is novel and that is no pun!

Tulsa Woman Publishes First Book

MOMMY AND ME DOGGIE WASH by Tenisha Edwards is a fun story, inspired by true events, and is about a young boy and his love for dogs and the doggie wash business he started with his mother. Chock full of fun life lessons about responsibility and kindness, it is a heartwarming tale sure to entertain. Be sure and watch the TV News interview below.   A perfect addition to the summer reading list, birthday gift,  or for vacation reading.

Book site : http://www.pagesofwonder.com/edwards.html

Fox interview about the book:  http://www.fox23.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=2144430

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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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.

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