Next HSW Meeting
Saturday February 12 10 am
at Scheels and via Google Meet.
Program for this meeting is Write Fiction to Tell the Truth, a talk about the differences between nonfiction and fiction, and one way to write them. Linda Kay Hardie will be out guest speaker.
Meeting Agenda
- Shameless Self-Promotion
- Announcements
- Write Fiction to Tell the Truth
- First Pages
Join Link for Google Meet
To join the Google Meet from your computer, use this link:
https://meet.google.com/bmx-txbf-nnu?hs=122&authuser=0
To join audio only from your phone call (US) 949-424-7153 and enter this
PIN: 995 846 279#
About Our Speaker
Linda Kay Hardie is the author of the children’s picture book Louie Larkey and the Bad Dream Patrol. Her writing projects have included an essay in the book Cat Women: Female Writers on Their Feline Friends and pieces in such national magazines as Cat Fancy and Chile Pepper. She was the editor of Not Fit for a Dog! The Truth About Manufactured Dog and Cat Food by Michael W. Fox, B. Vet. Med, Ph.D., D.Sc., M.R.C.V.S., et. al.
Linda has been senior editor and publicist for a book publisher, as well as managing editor for several newspapers. She’s a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and Cat Writers Association, and has won numerous writing awards dating back to 1968. A lifelong book lover, Linda recently earned a Master of Arts degree in writing and teaches college composition in Reno, Nevada.
FIRST PAGES
We will be doing FIRST PAGES so if you’d like to submit the first page of your book, please send it to Matt by Friday, February 11th. Follow these guidelines. Do not put your name on the page, do include the title and genre. Use 12-point Times New Roman or an equivalent font and double space.
After Meeting Critique Session
Matt is leading a No-Homework critique session after the regular meeting. For this one, you can bring in a page or two of something you’re working on which you’d like to submit for the group’s comments. You’ll read the page aloud or someone else will read it, then anyone attending can give their input on it. This is similar to what Matt’s group at Barnes and Noble did.
Critique Groups Update
A reminder from Linda Enos.
Looking for feedback on your manuscript? Contact Linda at lynda.r.bailey@gmail.com about joining one of HSW’s critique groups.
Got a finished manuscript? Email Linda about forming a Finished Manuscript Group with other HSW members. This is similar to Matt’s JumpStart group. Usually about 4 to 5 people who will read and critique one book a month.
Are you a memoirist who wants feedback on their work? The Memoir Group is looking for new members. Contact Linda for the details.
Time to Renew Your Dues
It’s a new year and your annual dues, if you haven’t already paid, are now due for 2022. You can pay them online at http://highsierrawriters.org/dues_payments/ or by check to:
High Sierra Writers
PO Box 12241
Reno, NV 89510
(Please let us know by email to board@highsierrawriters.org if you mail it in, so we can check the mailbox.)
If you have already paid, thank you and ignore this message.
Self-Publishing Classes at TMCC Meadowood Campus
Rene Averett will be teaching a three class series at TMCC’s Meadowood Campus in April. Anyone interested can sign up now. These classes will go into the publishing features in more depth than we have in the meeting presentations. TMCC charges a $49 fee for the classes.
From the catalog: Skip waiting on publishers and agents and publish your polished manuscript on your terms. Discuss how to prepare your work for upload using Amazon’s e-book and paperback system as well as Draft2Digital. Learn about the many features Kindle Unlimited has to offer for managing your information and sales. Explore the formats accepted for each platform, how to set your prices and plan for distribution. Gain design advice for your cover and practice using Kindle Publishing to bring your idea to life.
3 sessions, Thursday 04/07/2022, 04/14/2022, and 04/21/2022
To sign up, go to TMCC Epic’s class link: truckee.augusoft.net/index.cfm
HSW Writers’ Success Stories
High Sierra Writers has quite a few published writers in the group. We have a page featuring the various books grouped by author under genre. These are under HSW Writers link. As our authors release new books, we’ll feature them here.
This month, we have two books that are not new, but one has gotten a makeover and the other is releasing an audio version. Also, we have a short story that was published.
Cover Swap
Swapping out a book cover can improve your sales. Sometimes the original cover just isn’t getting the attention you need to find your reader. Brian Cave’s Old School Evil had a good cover, but he decided to step it up with a newly designed one.
New Cover on the left, old on the right. Click on the new cover to go to Brian’s Amazon page.
Audio Edition Coming
Jacci Turner’s recently-released Tree Singer is looking for more sales with the audio release of the book. She says it will be out this month. Check for it on Amazon.
Published Short Story
Kathy Burks had her first short story, “The Sixth Cut,” published by an online magazine, The Chamber Magazine. You can find it at:
https://thechambermagazine.com/2022/01/21/the-sixth-cut-dark-surreal-fiction-by-k-a-burks/
It’s a dark fiction story with a surprising twist. I expect Kathy will be writing more of these.
Congratulations to all our HSW writers.
Announcements
Book Signing
Gavin Black and several other authors had arranged a book signing at Grassroots Book Store on February 12. That has been postponed as Grassroots finally realized an outdoor book signing in winter isn’t the best idea. This will be rescheduled to either April or May. Gavin is waiting for the date.
Divas Day Out
Lynda Bailey and 5 other authors will be sharing a big booth at the annual Diva event at the Grand Sierra Casino on April 30th. Ladies, mark the day on your calendar. It’s a fun event and you can check out all the nifty booths.