A Year of Sensational Writing: 

Month Five – January

On Sunday, January 20, 2019 from 1-3 p.m., meet us in the Riverview Room at Burpee Museum of Natural History.

Bring new writing that focuses on “senses in a late winter setting.”  Consider how you are using your words to evoke different feelings and settings. Rehearse, then share writing with  group. Prose must be 1300 words or less. Poetry—50 lines or less.  We encourage creativity!  Be thoughtful, serious, joyful, or whatever. James Marshall will lead a literary discussion around your work and conduct a cash writing contest. 

Recap of the Year of Sensational Writing: In September, writers brought famous writing that highlighted a sense.  In October, writers returned with their own writing about that same sense. We are building off this pattern throughout the year.  We will culminate with a sense-themed Un-Gala in July 2019.  If you miss a meeting, just “catch up” and participate whenever you can.

Date & Venue Change for April Meeting:  Per the Guild’s Constitution, we meet every third Sunday of the month except in August, which is our month off.  Because Easter lands on the third Sunday of April, we are moving our April meeting to the FOURTH Sunday of the month.  That means we will be celebrating National Poetry Month at Severson Dells Nature Center on Sunday, April 28, 2019 from 1-3. Meet us on the porch for one of the most popular meetings of the year.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Embellish/Unembellish Writers,

We received forty-eight submissions for the Embellish/Unembellish Rush Writing Request.  Our original intention was to select one for the back cover, but we received so many great interpretations, we decided to add several pages to the 2019 winter-spring edition of The Rockford Review.  The journal was supposed to be 100 pages long, but we extended it to fit the following writer’s poems and stories: 

Marie Asner of Overland Park, KS for 24 Hours (embellishment of day and night), Event Planner (embellishment of nature), and Lost (not finding embellishment)

Maureen (Dailey) Baldwin of Bradenton, FL for Embellished Free Spirit

Mike Bayles of Davenport, IA for Planted Field

Ryan Dowling of Sycamore, IL for Not Your Average Cup of Coffee

Eunice Fisher of St. Petersburg, FL for Embellished or Unembellished, That Is the Question

Susan Brazas Goldberg of Rockford, IL for The Job Interview

Cindy Guentherman of Loves Park, IL for Embellish

Sally Hewitt of Glacier, WA for Bare Necessities, Candles, and Without Adornments

John Kalkirtz of  Beloit, WI for Unembellished 

Travis Morgan of Roscoe, IL for Disposable

Sharon Nesbit-Davis of Rockford, IL for Untitled

June Thompson of Neillsville, WI for Embellishments

Larry Wahler of Rockford, IL for To Embellish…Or Not! 

So what is going on the back cover? Instead of a single poem, we are publishing the names of the authors and writers who are published or reviewed in the journal. -Connie

REMINDER:  Winners of “Embellish/Unembellish” Writing Contest, “Vote” Prose Contest, and “Judge” Writing Contest are invited to share their work at the January meeting. And all of these poems and stories will appear in The Rockford Review, which will be released at the February Guild meeting.

RWG Good News

If you would like your literary good news published in the newsletter, email your news to Connie Kuntz at editor@rockfordwritersguild.org every month.  Email Blast items go to email director Wilda Morris at rockfordwritersguild@gmail.com.

Writers on the Avenue posted one of Mike Bayles’ short stories on writersontheavenue.wordpress.com.  Recently, The Brewed Book in Davenport started selling copies of his book, Breakfast at the Good Hope Home. Mike continues doing poetry readings in the Quad Cities, Muscatine, and Iowa City.

Fifty years ago, Kandie Bott gave birth to a secret.  Her “secret” was a baby boy and she put him up for adoption.  Through modern day technology, the two have joyfully reunited.  Kandie will share her experience through her (and her son’s) writing in the 2019 summer-fall “members only” edition of The Rockford Review.

Charlotte Digregorio of Winnetka, IL has her haiga (a haiku sequence combined with art) exhibited  through March 4 at City Hall in Highland Park, IL. In other news, she took Second Place in the Modern Haiku Category of the Illinois State Poetry Society Contest. And, she had a feature article published in The Daily Herald of Arlington Heights, IL. 

Kelly Epperson is hosting the Vision Your Life Workshop on January 5.  Visit www.kellyepperson.com for details about registering to participate either in person or online via Zoom.  She also offers a free online book club (also through Zoom).

Hana Ferguson’s debut novel The Sound of Rain, about a blind girl and her mysterious discovery of life and how the universe comes together, is available on Amazon, through CreateSpace publishing, for $14.  She plans to sell copies at the January meeting for the discounted price of $10 each! 

Rhonda Parsons has a Q & A in the latest issue of Lone Stars Magazine.  She is one of two featured poets.  She says she talks about one of her more current poems, “Claim Your Nobility and that you can read a snippet of the poem alongside the interview.” 

Terence Gallagher’s short story, “Steps” appears online at Two Hawks Quarterly.

That’s it for now.  Thank you for reading.  Now…go write! -Connie Kuntz

Dear Writers,

Today’s December 16 meeting at Burpee Museum of Natural History is cancelled due to a power outage.  The museum is closed to the public while Com-Ed works to restore the energy.

I will go down to the museum to personally explain the cancellation to any writer who does not get this message.

We will not be rescheduling this meeting, but will combine the December writing and sharing with the January meeting.  We’ll have details about that in our January newsletter.

I am so sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment this news may bring to you.

Thank you for staying apprised of all things Guild.  I hope you find time to “go write” today, just as you would have at today’s meeting.

Yours,

Connie Kuntz

Bring new writing that focuses on the senses, set in late December

For the December 16 meeting, bring new writing that focuses on “senses set in a late December setting.”  The setting can be winter, Hanukkah, Christmas, etc. – Think about how you are using words to evoke different feelings and settings.  Share you writing with the group.  Rehearse before you step up to the mic.  Prose must be 1300 words or less.  Poetry–50 lines or less.  We encourage creativity!  Be thoughtful, serious, joyful, or whatever.  James Marshall will lead a literary discussion around your work and conduct a cash writing contest.

Winners of Judge and Vote are invited to share their winning work at the mic and light holiday refreshments will be served.

Who:  This meeting is free and open to all who write.  All ages of writers are welcome.

What:  A sharing of new wintry “sense-themed” writing material based on James Marshall’s “Year of Sensational Writing.”

Where:  Downstairs in the Riverview Room at Burpee Museum of Natural History.  737 N. Main Street, Rockford, IL.

When:  Main Meeting:  Sunday, December 16, 2018 from 1-3 p.m..  Volunteer Meeting is held one half hour before the meeting, from 12:30-1:00.

Why:  We believe that sharing new work with a thoughtful, intelligent group is good for the individual, the Guild, and the community. We believe that getting comfortable using a microphone (or projecting) to convey your creativity and discipline is an important skill.

How:  Park in the lot for free. Say “Hi” to the front desk and tell them you are with the Guild.  They’ll wave you through

How Do I Volunteer:  Come to the Volunteer Meeting!   Volunteers are given fun but serious 30-minute or 60-minute tasks that help grow the Guild.  You need to be a Guild member in good standing to volunteer.  The Volunteer Meetings take place a half hour before the regular Guild meeting, from 12:30-1:00.

Here are some highlights from the November 18 Guild Meeting:

Tom Walsh is our new Membership Director. He will be mailing renewal reminders to Guild members. Mr. Walsh is also our Inmate Correspondent. This is a new outreach position with the Guild. What does it mean? Whenever we receive queries from inmates, he will write them back and let them know of writing opportunities. We receive between three-to-five inmate queries from federal institutions a year.

Hana Ferguson is our new Social Media Director. Hana is one of our youngest writers. She is currently enrolled at Rock Valley College. Look for her energetic, intelligent posts here.

Ryan Dowling shares his new writing during James Marshall’s “Crossing into Winter” writing contest.

for her energetic, intelligent posts here.

Lori Marshall shares her writing from the “Crossing into Winter” writing contest.

Cindy Putnam Guentherman has been the Guild Treasurer for a year, but has added Social Media Editor to her duties. Look for Cindy’s inspirational, literary posts here as well as her signature on any checks you may receive for your Guild writing!

Several Guild members, including Tom Lee, took books to distribute in our communities. Look for copies of The Rockford Review wherever you go. If you have a place at your business to display a little stack of literary goodness, let us know!

James Marshall led another great literary meeting as well as the Crossing Into Winter Writing Contest. All of the writing was beautiful, but Dr. Marshall could only select three winners. They were Jesse Kuntz for “Jeremiah’s Bones”, Katie Marshall for “Crossing into Winter”, and Sam Kuntz for “Crooked Winter”. Each winner won $5, but Jesse and Sam donated their winnings back to the Guild. Each winner also recorded their writing for the next Guildy Pleasures Podcast.

And…you can’t leave a Guild meeting without getting homework. Next month, Dr. Marshall would like you to bring your own new writing that highlights the sense of winter or winter holiday. “Writing should be set in a winter holiday setting. Write with ‘holiday sense.’ It can be Christmas, Hannukah, or whatever.” Next meeting: December 16 from 1-3 in the Riverview Room at Burpee Museum of Natural History. This is our annual holiday meeting and we will provide refreshments and other holidays delights to all who write. If you don’t write, you will be given COAL.

Thank you for reading.  Now…go write! -Connie

Guild Volunteer Meeting:  All Guild members who are able are invited to meet at Noon in Riverview Room at Burpee to go over simple tasks to help grow the Guild.  This meeting takes place one hour before the regular monthly meeting AND THERE WILL BE CAKE.  To volunteer, you must be a Guild member in good standing.

Regular Guild Meeting:  This takes place from 1-3, also in the Riverview Room at Burpee.  This meeting is open to all writers and…THERE WILL BE CAKE.  See your November Newsletter for meeting details.

Update about “Judge” and “Vote” Writing Opportunities: We received lots of late night/last minute submissions for the Judge and Vote writing contests. (The deadline was last night.) Winners of both writing contests will be announced in the December newsletter. Thank you to everyone who wrote…Regarding submissions for The Rockford Review…

Update on The Rockford Review:  Kris Veches and I will be going over your submissions over the next few weeks.  We will let you know one way or the other if your work is selected.  Thank you for reading this.  Now…go write!  -Connie Kuntz

The first meeting of the new year is on Sunday, September 16, 2018 from 1-3pm downstairs in the Riverview Room at Burpee Museum of Natural History.  Address:  737 N. Main Street in Rockford.

Bring “famous” writing that highlights one of the senses.  James will lead us in a discussion about examples of good (and maybe some bad) sense writing.  Then he will conduct a writing contest.

Give yourself a little extra time to get there.  The Greenwich Art Fair is taking place in a nearby parking lot, and that means it will take extra time to find a parking spot.  But after the meeting, you can go check out the art.

Until then…go write! -Connie

The 2018 UnGala has come and gone, but we have this short podcast to remind you of our wonderful day.  Click and listen for free at any time.

2018 UnGala Podcast – 71st Anniversary of RWG

Thanks for listening.  Now…go write! -Connie Kuntz

Burpee Museum of Natural History – 737 N. Main Street, Rockford, IL. Park in the lot for free!

Doesn’t this look like a nice place for a meeting? It is! With the exceptions of April and August, we meet every third Sunday of the month from 1-3pm at Burpee Museum of Natural History.

This Father’s Day is no exception. Bring your character writing and father-themed writing to this meeting and share it with the group!

Winners of “Biggest”,  “Relief”, and “Superstitious” are all invited to share their winning work at the mic.

Molly McNett begins recording in The Shumway studio on Monday, May 14.   We are excited! Until then, click here for Guildy Pleasures Podcast Lite.

Thanks for checking in.  Now…go write! -Connie Kuntz