NIMROD Awards Conference for Readers and Writers Oct. 17

PRESS RELEASE: NIMROD AWARDS CONFERENCE FOR READERS AND WRITERS

Nimrod International Journal’s 2015 Conference for Readers and Writers will take place on October 17th at the University of Tulsa. Featuring nationally known writers and newly discovered award-winners, this conference is also distinctive in bringing editors to meet one on one with writers who want individual critiques and guidance toward refining their work.  

Participants will be offered the opportunity to work with over forty distinguished authors, including the judges for the annual Nimrod Awards contest and other visiting artists. This year’s judges are two distinguished writers—Pulitzer Prize finalist Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia!, and Tina Chang, Poet Laureate of Brooklyn and author of Of Gods & Strangers.

Other guests include such celebrated authors as fiction writer Molly Antopol, a Stegner Fellow and author of The UnAmericans, a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree; young adult writer Jennifer Latham, author of Scarlett Undercover; YA fantasy writer Sarah Cross, author of Kill Me Softly; mystery writer Megan Abbott, author of The Fever, nonfiction writer Hector Tobar, author of Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine and the Miracle that Set Them Free; and Oklahoma Poet Laureate Benjamin Myers, author of Lapse Americana; and over thirty other professional writers and editors eager to share their talent and experience.

The conference will feature masterclasses, readings, panel discussions, and one-on-one editing sessions. Each workshop and panel is designed to stimulate ideas and discussion and to inspire and improve participants’ writing. Not only will participants be able to attend classes with award-winning authors, but they will be able to interact with them during coffee breaks, lunch, and informal talk sessions.

After the choice of two opening panel discussions, one a general writing advice session and the other a Q&A session on editing and publishing, participants will choose from a wide variety of masterclasses. There will be classes on writing fiction, poetry, memoir, mystery, nonfiction, and young adult literature and fantasy; ways to attract the attention of literary agents; and more. Just a few of the class titles: “Diversified: Incorporating Real-World Diversity into Young Adult Fiction,” “Down a Dark Alley: Atmosphere in Crime Fiction,” “Write About a Box: Taking the Fear out of Writing Your Memoir,” “The Fantasy Writer’s Cupboard: Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Myth” and “Writing with Questions: Empathy, Intimacy, and Interviewing in Nonfiction.” All are designed to encourage dialogue, share experience and expertise, and leave space for discovery. Most sessions will also include writing exercises, and all will have time for questions.

Those who pre-register and send their brief writing samples by October 10th will have the opportunity to sit down one on one with an experienced editor to discuss their work. These sessions are unique to Nimrod’s conference and are a conference favorite every year.

Lunch for registered participants will be accompanied by readings by Tina Chang and Karen Russell. An invitational reading with other featured guests and a group book-signing will end the day.

Each registrant is entitled to participate in readings, panel discussions, masterclasses, and one-on-one editing sessions.  The cost of Saturday’s conference is $60.00, including lunch. Full and partial scholarships are also available, but each participant must register. Those who wish to participate in a one-on-one editing session must send in the registration form and 2-3 pages of poetry or 4-5 pages of fiction by October 10th.   Professional development credit is available for Tulsa Public School teachers.

Nimrod also offers a special Two-Day Pass to attend both the writing workshop and the Awards Dinner the night before, October 16th. The Awards Dinner honors the winners and judges of Nimrod’s annual writing contest. It will feature a keynote address by Pulitzer Prize-nominee Karen Russell and readings of poetry and fiction by award-winners Heather Altfeld, Leila Chatti, J. D. Wiley, and Emily Wortman-Wunder. A ticket to the dinner alone is $65. The Two-Day Pass to attend both the dinner on Friday and the workshop on Saturday is $100.

For registration forms and more information, including dinner and scholarship information, please contact Eilis O’Neal at 918-631-3080 or e-mail: nimrod@utulsa.edu or visit the Nimrod website: www.utulsa.edu/nimrod.

Writing Contest

Sequestrum, a literary journal of new prose and poetry, is holding a contest through October 15^th for new writers (anyone yet to publish a book-length manuscript). 

Says Managing Editor, Ralph Cooper, "I appreciate the vital role local and regional organizations play for writers in all stages of their careers, and I’d appreciate if you could pass this note along to any writers who might be interested in participating in the contest." The contest is open to short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, with winners for both prose and poetry. Full contest details here: www.sequestrum.org/contests.

Their library contains NEA & Guggenheim Fellows, Pulitzer Prize Nominees, and other award-winning poets and novelists. Cooper emphasizes, "We hope to put some of today’s emerging talents alongside them." 

Check out the attached file is a flyer with contest details and additional information about Sequestrum. A great opportunity for not yet published authors...

www.sequestrum.org

George Rhoades Was Celebrity Author At Belton, TX Event

Reader's Theater Features
Duncan Author's Poetry
George Rhoades of Duncan was the "celebrity author" at a Reader's Theater celebrating the Chisholm Trail on Saturday, Sept. 12, in Belton, Texas.   Performers gave interpretive readings from his books, "Along the Chisholm Trail" and "After the Chisholm." The event was sponsored by the Temple, Texas, Literacy Council, drew a large crowd, and also featured Western music, a chorus, chuckwagon food and other readings.

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators to Host Fall Retreat

Two-day event to provide multiple workshops, speakers

Local writers and artists will have the opportunity to further develop their craft at an upcoming

Oklahoma's chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators will host their 2015 fall retreat Oct. 9-10 at Stroud, conveniently located right between Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

This year, attendees will experience in-depth study into their own area of interest, with individual tracks for illustrators, picture book authors, and novelists.

Friday workshops include the Illustrator Track, taught by Tim Jessell (www.timjessell.com), with a full day of technique instruction, hands-on practice, and group critique; the Picture Book Track, taught by Janee Trasler (www.trasler.com), who will share her secrets as a successful picture book author; and the Novel Track, taught by Anna Myers (www.annamyers.info) with Pati Hailey and Ginny Sain, and focusing on novel writing and editing including drama techniques for character development. The author workshops will follow their morning sessions with first page analysis and panel discussions.

Keynote speaker Linda Urban (www.lindaurbanbooks.com) will present the keynote address, “Fan the Spark of Creativity” on Friday evening. Urban, a successful author of both picture books and novels, will also be leading editing workshops on Saturday.

Linda Urban, successful author of both picture books and novels, will be the keynote speaker at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ Oklahoma fall conference, Oct. 9-10 at Stroud, OK

Three publishing professionals have also agreed to accept work from attendees after the conference, even though they are normally closed to submissions. Christa Heschke, an agent with McIntosh and Otis; Emily Feinberg, an editor with Roaring Brook Press; and Anna K. Roberto, an agent with Feiwel & Friends, an Imprint of Macmillian Children’s, are all part of the off-campus faculty of this year’s SCBWI Fall Conference. Specific information and requirements for submitting work to these industry insiders will be given out at the two-day event.

Retreat registration will also include two bonus events. The first will be held the same weekend - an after-hours event Friday evening with Darleen Bailey Beard, a successful published author of picture books and middle grade books, along with other writing professionals. The second bonus will be free admission to SCBWI Oklahoma’s upcoming editing workshop.

“For the price of a good pair of shoes, attendees will receive instruction, feedback, inspiration, and encouragement,” said Helen Dunlap Newton, SCBWI-Oklahoma Regional Advisor. “The lasting effects on your writing and illustrating make this some of the best money you can spend on your writing dreams.”

The SCBWI Oklahoma Fall Conference is limited to 90 participants. All attendees will pay the same registration fee, but may take part in the entire two days or any portion. SCBWI member registration is $110. Non-SCBWI member registration is $160. Attendees may also take advantage of the discount SCBWI price by joining SCBWI for $95. Throughout the year, members enjoy full day critique sessions, monthly educational meetings, grant opportunities, intensives, sketchcrawls, illustrator showcases, friendship, and support.

More information about the fall retreat, lodging availability, and registration is available online at www.oklahoma.scbwi.org or by contacting Helen Newton, helennewton@cox.net.