November Meeting

The November meeting will be a regular meeting with member readings – a holiday theme. A special project will be initiated: Team writing (two-person team) to create a special short story of 2000 to 2500 words. These may be any genre and will be read in competition at the January monthly meeting.

Presentation at Northeast Texas

Community College

On October 15^th, five NETWO members met with 40 students in a Children’s Literature class at the request of Sue Barker. The students are working to obtain a teaching certificate at the Northeast Texas Community College in Mt. Pleasant, and Mrs. Barker felt they would benefit from listening to area authors. Attending and representing NETWO to the highest degree were: Galand Nuchols of Mt. Pleasant; Gay Ingram, Big Sandy; George “Bob” Allen, Daingerfield; Michele “Joy” Chitsey and Jean Pamplin of Mt. Vernon. Skip Hughes could not attend and will possibly give a talk to the students at a later date.

Jean emphasized that NETWO originated at the college in 1985 even having a Literary Lovers’ Tea or two in Sub 101 where the class met Thursday evening. The book projects were mentioned and each author was introduced. Galand touched on how students reacted to her talks and the children’s books she wrote, also speaking of the companion teacher’s aid she had prepared. Gay has authored novels and self-help books and emphasized the need to journal, an active help for both teachers and students. Bob spoke of his story-telling, and the eventual publication of a children’s book illustrated by his granddaughter. He encouraged the process of motivation. Joy has been writing several children’s books and she spoke about her work in the classroom. She was followed by a question and answer session

Not only did our members, who, by the way, had not coordinated their subject matter, entertain the students but they shared honest and critical information with them. Each touched on a different facet of writing. I listened as raptly as the students to each speaker and felt proud to be counted along with them. I was greatly impressed with the knowledge and experience each panel member conveyed.

Three cheers for NETWO, another job well done.

Respectfully submitted, Jeanie Pamplin

From the web site:

NETWO 2010 SHORT STORY CONTEST RULES

Cash Prizes total $325. Winner guaranteed publication.

Entry deadline February 15, 2010.

Note: As described in Item 20, the judge’s score sheet, possibly with comments, will be available for your entry.

Entries must be short stories between 1,000 and 2,500 words to be considered. Submit one (1) copy.
Entries must be typed, double spaced, one side only on 8 ½ “ by 11” white paper, 1” margins. Please use either Courier or Times Roman type fonts, 12 point.
Entry fee for each submission is $8 for NETWO members, $10 for non-NETWO members, and $5 for students 18 and under. Make checks payable to “NETWO.” Students may request a waiver of the entry fee by writing to: netwomail@netwo.org. (Please Note: There is NOT a separate student division.)
Multiple entries are permitted. Include entry fee for each entry. Multiple entries may be submitted in a single envelope and with a single check to cover all fees.
Entries must be postmarked between January 1 and February 15, 2010, or hand delivered to a NETWO officer no later than February 20, 2010.

Mail entries to:

NETWO, P. O. Box 411, Winfield, TX 75493

If you wish confirmation of receipt of your entry, include a SASP. On the message side of the postcard, write the name of the short story.

First Place Award is $150; Second Place is $100; Third Place is $50, and Fourth Place is $25. Winners, and Honorable Mentions, will receive certificates suitable for framing.
First Place winner will be published (with author’s permission) in The Storyteller, a magazine dedicated to helping writers. The Storyteller is a paying publication, and the word limit is 2,500 words. The Storyteller was one of the 101 Best Magazine Markets for 2006. It is also listed in “The Best of the Magazine Markets for Writers 2009.”
No more than (1) CASH prize will be awarded to a single author However, this does not preclude an author from receiving additional certificates for honored stories. Please note: all cash prizes will be awarded (4 different authors will receive prize money).
Each story should have a cover sheet containing only:

o the name of the story

o the author’s name

o complete address

o telephone number

o e-mail address

o and word count

o student entries should also include age, school attending and grade.

10. The author’s name should not appear anywhere except on the cover sheet. Each

story page should have a header line with the story’s title and the page number.

11. Entries must be previously unpublished short stories written in English by the person
whose name is on the cover sheet.

12. Failure to follow all the contest rules will result in disqualification; entry fees for
disqualified entries will not be returned.

13. Judges do not see the author’s name, or any other information about the author. No
entrant knows the identity of any judges.

14. Decisions of the judges are final.

15. Neither NETWO, any of its members or any judge is responsible for late delivery of
entries, or lost entries.

16. Winners will be announced during the 2010 NETWO Writers’ Conference, April 23

& 24. Winners unable to attend will have awards mailed to the address on the cover

sheet.

17. Winners’ names will be printed in the May issue of the NETWO newsletter, With

Pen in Hand. Winners’ names and story titles will also be posted on the web site by

May 5, 2010.

18. NETWO may request permission to print some of the winning entries in future issues

of the newsletter, With Pen in Hand. This is NOT a requirement to enter or win.

19. The author relinquishes none of his or her rights by entering the contest.

20. Please include a SASE (with sufficient postage) if you wish your entry returned.

The judge’s score sheet (and possible comments) will accompany your entry.

Otherwise, entries will not be returned and will be shredded. t

Dear NETWO members,

NETWO is making plans to create a Membership Directory of all members. Each member will receive a copy of this directory when the project is completed. We want to know as much about each one of you as we can.

We all have different life experiences, hobbies, interests, and areas of knowledge, education and expertise. We would like to compile a directory that would reflect all of these interesting facts. What one of us struggles with in our writing, someone else may be able to answer questions about and help.

Below is a questionnaire. Fill in as much, or as little, as you with to share. If you do not wish for other members to have access to your information, then disregard this questionnaire and let us know that you do NOT want your name included in the Membership Directory. Your privacy will be respected. However, you will still receive a copy of the completed directory even though your name will not be included. We will renew the directory once a year to include any new member information and to update individual information.

After filling out the form below, email it to Gay Ingram gayingram@hotmail.com. Once we receive the information requested we will begin to put together this directory.

Thank you for your cooperation in this endeavor to help NETWO better serve its members.

Gay Ingram

Questionnaire

Last Name: First Name:

Address:

City:

State: Postal Code:

Home phone #_________________

Work phone # __________________

Cell phone # __________________

E Mail Address:

Writing Genres:

Published: Yes/No: __________

If yes, Title and Genre:________________________________________________

If applicable, ISBN #: _______________________

Author Website:

Hobbies and Interest:

Places you have traveled:

Languages you speak:

Job experiences and areas of expertise:

Your family:

Any other tidbits of information that you are willing to discuss and share with other members:

If you do not use e-mail, please USPS mail to:

Gay Ingram

8119 Mulberry Road

Big Sandy, TX 75755

EVENTS

Skip Hughes will read his poetry

-- On Friday, the 13^th of November –

-- at seven o’clock p.m. –

-- at the Art & Espresso Coffee Bar –

-- 217 Market Street, Winnsboro –

BRING YOUR OWN POETRY TO READ AT “OPEN MIKE” AFTERWARD! ?

Skip’s poetry seminar schedule for January 2010:

Saturday, the 9^th, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Saturday, the 16^th, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Saturday, the 23^rd, 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Saturday, the 23^rd, 1:15 to 3:30 p.m.

at the Pizza Inn on U.S. Highway 271 north of Pittsburg. Please attend as many sessions as possible.

Tuition is not changed from last year.

For information and to get your preliminary assignment, e-mail diffdrumr@gmail.com. ?

BOOK SIGNING

You are invited to attend a book signing for author

Gay Ingram

Hastings Book Store, Mt. Pleasant, TX

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.

Please join Gay Ingram and other NETWO authors for this special event

And invite your friends!

For more information, e-mail Gay at gayingram@att.net. ?

BITS AND PIECES

Galand Nuchols now has in hand her latest book, Second Chance.

Gay Ingram has scored again! Her essay, Water’s Lure, won second place in the Word & Sound International 2009 Creative Writing Competition.

Jean Pamplin has received the following message:

“Re: Tom Ewan

Hi Jean,

I have enclosed his obituary which does a good job of describing some of his accomplishments.

My father spoke so highly of you and the writers’ group. I can say that you made his life much more enjoyable and that your encouragement and help was very instrumental in America Jane’s “Pearls of Wisdom.” He also was working on The Birthplace of Guided Missiles,” that I will finish.

Thank you so much for making my father’s life so much more enjoyable.

Sam Ewan”

DONNA KOUBA

1925 - 2009

We have just learned that former NETWO member, Donna Kouba, of Gilmer passed away April 18.