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