Pencils! Welcomes 2009 with Important Announcements!

JANUARY 27 MEETING.

For the January 27 meeting, we'll be attending a SPECIAL EVENT at the NORWALK PUBLIC LIBRARY in South Norwalk to support member John Palisano as he reads from his latest work as part of the 2009 Author Series. Copies of the anthologies in which his most recent work appeared will be available for sale, and proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Norwalk Library.

THE EVENT RUNS FROM 6:30 to 8:30. Please join us! For more information, visit John's website here and click on the link at the right of the page.

NEW FOR 2009 -- MEMBERSHIP DUES.

As you know, over the years, Pencils! has grown -- we've gained and lost members, and many times the subject of charging nominal dues has come up. Dues will not only help us lessen the financial impact of events and other incidentals (printing, mailing, the domain name for the web, etc.), but will help our members strengthen their commitment and put us more in line with other professionally-oriented writing groups and associations.

For 2009 and beyond, we're introducing membership dues for those who attend meetings.

We've set the cost of dues at $24/year due on January 31 of each year (that's not much more than $1/meeting). This amount will also make it easy for us to pro-rate members who join later in the year. New members may attend a maximum of three meetings before deciding whether or not they wish to join.

Carol McManus is the Treasurer and will open our first official Pencils! account. Please send your $24 membership dues as close to January 31 as possible to Carol.

Have a wonderful few days and I'll see you all on January 27!

Kaye

Lon sells "Symphony..."

Tales Out of Miskatonic University bought Lon's piece, "Symphony for the Aligning Stars". Congratulations, Lon!

John's short story accepted to anthology!

	THE OUTLAWS OF HILL COUNTY I'm delighted to report that my short story, "The Outlaws Of Hill County" has been accepted into Graveside Tales' upcoming anthology, HARVEST HILL, to be released in time for Halloween this year. The year is 1969. Harvest Hill, Tennessee finds itself in the midst of preparations for the annual Halloween Festival, taking place at Harvest High. Only problem is the Long Fellow has announced its return by taking Jenny Lou Harrison from them. Its up to a young hippie, his friend, and the local biker gang, The Outlaws Of Hill County, to showdown against the Long Fellow Halloween night. Just remember what all the kids sing each year around this time: "When the night gets long And the day goes quick, You better hide inside, Or you might get sick, Out come the Long Fellow, Playing his tricks, Sucking your soul, Through your fingertips…" Warm tidings www.johnpalisano.com

Keith's first chapter takes first place

Our newest member, Keith, has just been notified that the first chapter of his novel, Bank Street, won the First Chapter Competition at Writer's Billboard. Here's the link where you can read it:

http://www.writersbillboard.net/firstchaptercomp.html

Congratulations, Keith!!

Walt Featured Flash, Interrogated...

Walt's at it again. Back at the beginning of June, he let me know that his story, "The Case of the Checkered Murder", was the "Featured Flash" for their Minute Mystery June 2008 edition: Summer Heat. Check out his story at http://mysite.verizon.net/mysteryauthors/flash.html

He then interviewed himself. Check it out at the MysteryAuthors.com blog here: http://mysite.verizon.net/mysteryauthors/. Click on the Blog Link and scroll down to the Thursday, May 29, 2008 post entitled "The Muse Interrogates…er, Interviews the Author".

Congratulations, Walt! Best of luck with your continued moving and we hope to catch up with you soon!

Kathryn's work in McSweeney's, Farmhouse Magazine

Hey gang,

I got some news from Kathryn last week. She's been happily jamming-busy with her internship at Time, Inc., in New York City, and she reports that with her steady stream of submissions, she's "still trying VERY HARD and getting rejected daily." However, she DID have success—major success—with placing her very funny "Real Historical Dolls: A Catalog" piece in McSweeney's Internet Tendency. You can read it here:
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2008/3/19higgins.html

And, just recently, her piece "Painful skin condition afflicts girlfriends/wives of 'hot' guys" appears in Farmhouse Magazine's Summer 2008 Issue. Check that out here:
http://www.farmhousemagazine.com/summer2008-satire-higgins.html

Congratulations, Kathryn!

Vance graduates from Sacred Heart

It's the moment we've been waiting for: Vance graduated from Sacred Heart University, Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and a concentration in writing! The graduation exercises were held May 18.

Kaye new EIC of Pitkin Review

Kaye has been named Editor-in-Chief for the Fall 2008 Issue of Goddard College's Literary Magazine, the Pitkin Review. She's really excited—but, as usual, there's an overwhelming amount of work to be done.

"The Other Joyce" in Musings

Joyce's story, "The Other Joyce"—which she workshopped here awhile back and, as I recall, was really entertaining—was published in the most recent edition of Norwalk Community College's literary magazine, Musings. Congratulations!

Shirley in Musings

I'm pleased to announce that Shirley's poem, "The Avaricious Sea" was recently published in Norwalk Community College's literary magazine, Musings.

Congratulations, Shirley!

Jen nominated for SPJ awards

Jen Connic has been named a finalist in the 2007 Society of Professional Journalists Connecticut Chapter's Excellence in Journalism Awards Competition!

She has been cited for work she did with WestportNow. She is nominated for work on the breaking news pieces "Demolition of Paul Rudolph House" and "Flood Emergency"; she has also been nominated for the online feature "Eric Von Schmidt -- Westporters Who Knew Him" and for "General Excellence, Independent" (which I believe is a category).

The winners will be announced at a formal event on Thursday, May 22 at Fantasia in North Haven.

Awesome, Jen! If you'd like to check out her pieces and hear details from the gal herself, visit her blog at http://jenconnic.blogspot.com/2008/04/finalist-in-spj-connecticuts.html

Nick's latest column is available

Hey gang,

Nick's latest column in The Darien News Review is available at the following link.

http://www.dariennews-review.com/columnists/ci_9038737

News from Jen Connic...and a great video

Hi folks,

Here's some news from Jen Connic. She tells it best, so here's what she wrote. Be sure to check this out if you've got a minute. It's a great video.


As you are probably aware, last Friday was the anniversary of Martin
Luther King Jr.'s assassination. We ran a story detailing his visit to
Paterson just eight days before his death. I tagged along for one of
the interviews, which was fascinating to me as a student of history,
and compiled a video including archival photos of King.
Here's the link to the video:
http://dng.northjersey.com/media_server/hn/2008/04/04mlk/04mlk.html

Jerry's piece now in Mouth Full of Bullets!

Jerry's story "Egghead" -- a great little flash fiction piece he presented at Pencils! last year -- is now available in the March 2008 issue of Mouth Full of Bullets. For now it seems it's appearing only in the print issue, but I think after the print issue's had its run it will probably be available online.

You can check it out here:
http://www.mouthfullofbullets.com/Current%20Issue.htm

If you'd like to order the print edition in which Jerry's story appears, complete order info is here:
http://www.mouthfullofbullets.com/

Congratulations, Jerry! Great work!

All Things Girl picks up Kaye's "Confetti"

All Things Girl has picked up Kaye's short story "Confetti"—all about paper dresses, a pissed off girl and a couple of matches—for its November and December issues; it will serialize the piece. ATG is an e-zine that launched in 2001, and their mission is to, as noted on their website (I don't want to plagiarize here, but they really put it best, so these are their words, not mine): "give women a place to showcase their stuff - their artwork, photography, poetry, prose, articles on health, reviews, thoughts on business, creative endeavours and so much more." Curious? Explore ATG at http://www.allthingsgirl.net/ …and stop back there in November and December to take in "Confetti".

Several members' work appears

Several Pencils! members have recently had their work published in the brand-new publication for highlighting the work of Connecticut writers, Whatever Literary Journal:

Chris Emmerson Pace: "The Clutter of Things"
Lucinda Sands (Cindy): "Cowboys and Indians"
Vance Fazzino: "Paganini's Phantasma"
John Kildahl: "Peas in a Pod"
Sharon Butler: "Unloosed"
Joyce Fischman: "Bastille Day"
Kathryn Higgins: "Fear of Flipping" and "How to Collect the 100 Free Cell Phone Minutes You Receive in the Mail"

Nice work, everybody!

INFO ON PURCHASING/SUBMITTING:

This issue is now available for purchase; you can purchase the print edition for $12.99, or conveniently download it to your computer for just $5.00. Support the small press! To purchase, go here: http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=1825589

At the moment, duotrope.com reports Whatever is temporarily closed to submissions--and the mag's submissions page has not yet posted a new deadline. I'd bookmark their submissions page--http://www.whateverlit.com/submission_guidelines.htm
and check back, or keep checking duotrope.

I'll keep you guys posted and let you know when they re-open, as I'm on duotrope just about every day. Or, you can sign up for Whatever's newsletter by visiting here: http://www.whateverlit.com/whateverhappens.htm

John P hits it thrice!

Hey gang,

John P's short story, "The Marine", will appear in the upcoming werewolf anthology The Beast Within later this year. Previously he sold "Wings For Wheels" to Darkness on the Edge. He also sold "Tennatrick" to an as-yet-untitled anthology at the moment.

Kaye's "Candle Garden" slated for Pandora Ink Books

I'm pleased to announce that Pandora Ink Books will publish a limited edition, perfect-bound pressing of my short story, "Candle Garden"—a haunting story about a woman struggling with the loss of her children whose tryst with a wax artist leads to some…well, interesting outcomes.

Melissa Duckworth is a talented artist who carefully selects poetry and short fiction which inspires her; then she creates a three-dimensional book-art experience. "Candle Garden", with a limited edition of 50 copies (that's gotta make you feel famous, folks!—I'm good enough for limited edition??), will be a reproduction of the work she created around this story for an art installation; she acquired the rights to this story a couple of years ago, and she has invested much time in turning my story into a work of art.

Copies will run at $30.00 and the book is slated for release in September 2009; pre-orders are being taken now. Although 9/09 seems a long way off, her books are popular and many sell out in their pre-order phase. Support the small press! Her work is amazing and you won't be disappointed, I can promise you that. For information and for a link to order, please visit her website at http://www.myspace.com/pandoraink, or contact me and I'll direct you to her online catalog, which not only features the release of my book but several other wonderful projects as well (hint: start your Christmas shopping early)!

Walt's "Modern Love" in Short Fiction World

I believe he sent this to all of you, but Walt's short story "Modern Love" is available now in Short Fiction World! Read it here: http://shortfictionworld.com/Content_Mgr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=40

Congratulations, Walt! For more news, visit his blog at:

http://allotropiclucubrations.blogspot.com

Kaye's "King of Bull" is now up!

Hey guys,

I think you all get my newsletter anyway, but "King of Bull", which took 1st Place in the Toasted Cheese 2007 Dead of Winter Contest, is now available to read on the web, as it has been published in the e-zine's March Issue.

Here's the Link:

http://www.toasted-cheese.com/ezine/2008/8-1/schoonover.htm

Also, the story was mentioned on someone's blog!

http://technorati.com/posts/583BcbXnqs2OxMpw%2B8XreOM1QfCxJMlRX2VatR6W70w%3D