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WPNews, December 2024
The Happy Holidays Issue
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From Kathleen Kaiser, President
Happy Holidays!
Having just finished decorating my home with festive cheer, I want to extend my best wishes to all of you for a wonderful holiday season, regardless of which holiday you celebrate. There are twenty-nine celebrations from November through early January, culminating with Chinese New Year. It seems that the Solstice and its various traditions are as ancient as humanity itself.
For me, this time of year serves as a moment to reflect on the past year, especially my writing—or lack thereof. Life and work can sometimes get in the way. As I wrap up this year, I am happy to share that I am halfway through my next novel.
As we approach the New Year, let's all recommit to our goals, pursue our dreams, and work towards making them a reality.
May your December be filled with joy, delicious food, and the company of friends.
Warm wishes,
Kathleen
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From Sandra Murphy, Editor
How ‘parts work’ therapy can help with stress and trauma: Shots - Health News: NPR
The holidays can be stressful—did I get the right gift, the right size, the right color, the right toy? Is the house clean enough, can we get through a meal without snarky remarks or hints of how to better ourselves when we think we’re ‘better enough’ as we are? Take a few minutes to listen and see if this podcast from NPR can help you stress less and enjoy more.
In the meantime, enjoy seeing people on their best behavior, at least until after the meal is over and gifts are opened. If anyone gets rowdy, give them cookies. It will keep them occupied!
Here’s hoping for a healthy, prosperous, and joyous New Year.
As the songs say, I hope your holidays are happy and bright, full of laughter and good cheer.
Sandy, Editor, editor@writersandpublishersnetwork.com
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www.simonandschuster.com/p/fraud-alert/
Bogus Offers Solicit Personal Information
Did you get an offer for your book? To make a movie of your story? Check the spelling and the email address before getting excited. That’s not the way legitimate companies find authors. Macmillan is the proper spelling for the publishing company—McMillan is a scam. Amazon and other companies are often used. Never send money or agree to anything. You won’t regret it.
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Ask the Book Doctor: About Capital Letters by Bobbie Christmas
Q: When I refer to a specific chapter in my book proposal or in my book, do I capitalize it? For example, when I say, “See Chapter Three for more information,” should it be chapter three or Chapter Three?
A: As used, Chapter Three is the title of the chapter, so capitalize it as you would any title.
Q: Are the seasons capitalized? I’ve seen it both ways, “Spring” and “spring.”
A: Seasons aren’t capitalized unless they are the first word in a sentence. “The weather in Paris in the spring is perfect,” but “Spring in Paris is perfect.”
Bobbie Christmas is a book editor, author of Write In Style: How to [LV1] Use Your Computer to Improve Your Writing, and owner of Zebra Communications. She will answer your questions too. Send them to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com or
BZebra@aol.com. Read Bobbie’s Zebra Communications blog at https://www.zebraeditor.com/blog/ or visit https://www.zebraeditor.com/.
[LV1]Sandy: If you make this change to your boilerplate text, I won’t have to do it every month.
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Let’s Talk Diversity by Jay Hartman
Editor’s Note:
Jay is currently on vacation. His column will be back in January. In the meantime, since we now have our first transgender member of the House of Representatives, we thought it would be appropriate to reprint this article on diversity that Jay previously wrote.
If there’s one good thing that’s come out of the last year or so, it’s a heightened awareness for the recognition of diversity in all aspects of our modern society. Whether it’s a fight for racial equality in the justice system, equal pay for equal work for women, or ensuring that Asian Americans are not terrorized by misguided people looking to place the entire responsibility of a worldwide pandemic on their heads, the world is becoming more aware of the need for diverse representation.
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Between a Turkey and a Hard Place by Eric Mayer, reprinted with permission
The Orphan Scrivener: THE ORPHAN SCRIVENER - ISSUE # THIRTY-SIX -- l5 DECEMBER 2005
Although we’re not yet officially in bleak midwinter, frosty winds have certainly been making moan across our first significant fall of snow. Yes, the landscape here and in wide swathes of the country now features much frolic architecture, as Ralph Waldo Emerson characterized the effect of those frozen flakes. We have a good example right outside the front door, where our buggy sits snugly encased, the white mound on its roof topped with a wind-driven twig of spruce, putting us in mind of an enormous (if misshapen) Christmas pudding
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The husband-and-wife team of Mary Reed and Eric Mayer have published twelve mysteries featuring John, Lord Chamberlain to sixth-century Byzantine Emperor Justinian, and two novels featuring Grace Baxter, set in the UK during WWII.
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First in the twelve-book series
The blog started in 2000 and averages six posts a year. They say, “We started this email newsletter because we were advised that authors should have a newsletter. However, we don’t really enjoy promotion, so although we sometimes talk about writing or Roman history, mostly we just do personal essays. A quick calculation offers the surprising result Orphan Scrivener will celebrate its silver anniversary in February next year. We feel we ought to do something to mark the occasion but have no idea what it could be. Ideas welcome!”
They do them well, and the essays are still relevant. Take a few minutes to scan the site at
The Orphan Scrivener
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To Use AI or Not to Use AI by Eric Schumaker
Consider this:
What we are discussing is machine learning. It has been branded as AI to obfuscate the fact there is no person, no personality, no soul behind it. The AI that companies are marketing is currently not self-aware. They are computer programs using source information to generate things. That source information comes from the entire internet. From all of us.
I’m a filmmaker, actor, and media producer. I produce and perform in spoken word audio, and recently released an epic audio drama that was difficult to make and has high production values. I don’t accept written scripts or source material if I have any indication they may have been AI generated. I respect writers, their art, their work, and their struggle.
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The Museum of the Omniverse: Dragon Exhibit—an audio drama production by
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The event is free for women’s club members, and a suggested $10 donation for nonmembers.
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| Bits and Pieces—News You Might Have Missed |
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LIST OG LAND Artists and Writers Residency in the WESTFJÖRDS OF Iceland Presents:
Write in Iceland Writers Workshop
MAY 4-10, 2025
WWW.LISTOGLAND.COM
With Award Winning, Bestselling Author Leslie Schwartz
Scholarships of $700 Available to Black Women Writers from the USA.
For more information, including cost and details:
www.listogland.com
For information on scholarships, please email writersworkshopslol@gmail.com or leslieschwartz@gmail.com.
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Every two years, the Historical Novel Society North America holds a writers conference that attracts historical novelists, readers, editors, agents, and presenters from all over North America and beyond.
The next conference will be held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 26–28, 2025.
Learn, Connect & Grow! Registration opens February 15, 2025. Make sure you’ve signed up to receive our emails to get all the latest conference information as soon as it’s available.
“The” Conference for Historical Fiction In person and virtual
Proposals to present at HNS2025 will be accepted between December 15, 2024, and January 15, 2025.
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#AWP25: March 26–29, 2025 Los Angeles Convention Center
The Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference & Bookfair is the essential gathering for writers, teachers, students, editors, and publishers. Join thousands of attendees, explore hundreds of events and exhibitors, and immerse in four days of vital literary community and celebration in Los Angeles.
https://s2.goeshow.com/awp/annual/2025/
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