D5 member Robert L. Dean, Jr.'s poem "The Tear" just came out in the new issue of October Hill Magazine. A link to the magazine's issue archives is provided below. The new issue is OHM Winter 2020, Volume 4, Issue 4. You can either 1: click on the image of the issue cover, which will open up the issue, or 2: click on "New! Digital Download," which is a much better way to open the issue; it will not download to your computer but open as a pdf, you have to click on the download icon after the issue opens to download the issue to your computer. Dean's poem "The Tear" is the last item in the issue, on page 164. A beautiful online magazine, and very nice folks. This is Dean's second appearance in October Hill Magazine. Link:


October Hill Magazine Archives

D5 member Robert L. Dean, Jr.'s poem "Cloudy with a Chance of Miracles," from Dean's latest book, The Aerialist Will Not Be Performing, was featured Sunday, January 10th, on Ken Hada's podcast "The Sunday Poems with Ken Hada." It is part of Episode #120. This is the Second Sunday in a row Ken has read from Dean's recent book. Ken also reads one of his own poems, "What We Have Lost," and briefly reflects on the events from Wednesday, January 6th. The podcast can be found anywhere podcasts are broadcast, and also at the link to Ken's website here:

Episode 120: Loss & A Chance of Miracles by The Sunday Poems with Ken Hada • A podcast on Anchor

Book Event Announcement from Gretchen Eick:

January 27th 6-7:30 PM, the Wichita Public Library will have a virtual discussion of my 2019 near-future book The Hard Verge: Britain 2025. 

Gretchen Eick of District 5 is the author and will be present for the discussion. The library has copies so no one needs to purchase the book. If people register, they will receive the Zoom address 24 hours in advance. Call 688-9580 or visit wichitalibrary.org/events to register online:  https://wichita.evanced.info/signup/eventdetails?EventId=11744


The novel is about asylum seekers in London in the post-Brexit years of an Ultra Right party's dominance of British politics. When a Syrian woman journalist disappears, her partner's search for her leads into the legal and illegal refugee community and to a small group of Members of Parliament willing to investigate what is happening in the privatized detention centers. Investigations that ensue uncover disturbing activity at Poton Downs, a top secret British weapons laboratory, and the Ultras' alarming increase of surveillance.  Is she still alive? Will Ana be found? What about the tens of thousands of others seeking asylum? And their children? 

Vicki Julian is an active D2 member and former state Financial Secretary for Kansas Authors Club. 

News from D2 member, Mark Scheel. 

​My poem "Season of Revision" has just appeared on Spillwords.com as their end of year selection.  It's excerpted from my recent poetry collection Star Chaser from Anamcara Press.  Here's the link:
https://spillwords.com/season-of-revision/

Poetry written by D5 Members, Roy Beckemeyer and Robert L. Dean, Jr., appear in MacQueen's Quinterly, Issue 6, January 2021. Roy has two poems, one of which won the Editor's Choice Award, and Bob has one poem.

Bob's poem "Borderland" is under Ekphrastic Works. To see the image which inspired it, go to the website and click on the title of the photo by Chris Whitney which appears under the poem title.

Roy's two poems,  "Prothalamion" and "The Way Night's Lapidary Light Burnishes Your Skin," are under Poems, Lineated. Roy's latter poem won the Editor's Choice Award for this issue. 

Click below for the MacQueen Quinterly Table of Contents to read the poetry of these two talented D5 poets.

MacQueen's Quinterly Issue 6

This Sunday, January 3rd, 2021, poet and ECU professor Ken Hada will be reading D5 member Robert L. Dean, Jr.'s poem "Aftermath," from Dean's latest book, The Aerialist Will Not Be Performing, as part of his Sunday Poems With Ken Hada podcast series. It is episode #119. The podcast can be heard Sunday afternoon on Ken's website or anywhere podcasts are hosted.

Ken has previously featured Wichita poets Roy Beckemeyer, Michael Poage, and Robert L. Dean, Jr., in episode #52. Robert L. Dean, Jr.'s poem "Along This Road" was read in Episode #80.

 Ken presented at a D5 meetings in 2019 from a book he wrote with his brother, The River White.

This link takes you to Ken's podcast.
Sunday Poems With Ken Hada

Check out Ken's quality poem podcasts every Sunday.
Visit his website to learn more about him.

www.kenhada.org

On December 17, the third and final volume of Mark Wentling’s three-volume book, Africa Memoir, was published.

Visit all 54 African countries with an adventurous American guide who has spent over half a century on the continent.
Africa Memoir tells the incredible lifetime story of Mark G. Wentling, a boy from Kansas who grew up to travel, work, and visit all 54 African countries. Derived from over a half century spent working and living on the African continent, Wentling devotes a chapter to each country describing his firsthand experiences, eye-opening impressions, and views on future prospects.
Original and authoritative, this one-of-a-kind, three-volume work deserves a special place on the bookshelves of anyone interested in Africa.

If you have news of writing events that would be of interest to all Kansas Authors Club members, or if you are a member (dues current) who would like to announce an achievement, please submit your news via this form. ​

"When I finish a book, I try to select a word that encapsulates ending my reading experience—gratified, informed, indignant, breathless. The word I chose when I closed the book Opulence, Kansas by Julie Stielstra, after reading it in two sessions, was “hopeful.” Hopeful that, despite terrible tragedies and loss, people can recover and find joy in the world. Hopeful that there are uncles and aunts like Len and Maggie, waiting to love and restore value to teens who need them. Hopeful that the next generation will value relationships like Katie and Travis. And hopeful that self-centered, inconsiderate people can be transformed into mindful allies."
                    --Barbara Belford, Windy City Reviews

Read the entire review here.

2021 Membership Fees should be paid by January 1, 2021. Please see our Membership page for the link to pay online or print the form and mail your check. 

If you have questions about the status of your membership, please contact Membership Chair, Deb Irsik.  send an email to Deb

Nancy Julien Kopp, D4 Member, submits the following:

A story of mine published several years ago in The Big Book of Christmas Joy was published again this month in the LifeStory Journal edited by Charley Kempthorne.

The story is "The Best Christmas Present Ever" and is about the year I learned that it is far more exciting to give a gift than receive one. Fifth-grade experience.


Follow Nancy's writing advice at Writer Granny's World. Nancy's articles are also featured daily on the Kansas Authors Club Facebook page. 

If you have news of writing events that would be of interest to all Kansas Authors Club members, or if you are a member (dues current) who would like to announce an achievement, please submit your news via this form. ​

​Do you have 81 words in you? Can you string them together? Can you string them together to make some kind of sense? Then you can contribute to what may become the anthology with the most contributing authors!!! Sadly, only one entry is permitted per author.

The goal is 1000.

To date, we have received 953 stories. We need 47 more to publish the anthology.

When 1,000 stories have been received, written by 1,000 different authors, an anthology will be published. It will attempt to set a World Record for the most contributing authors published in an anthology.

81words Writing Challenge - Rules & How To Submit
The submission criteria are nice and simple:

• stories must be EXACTLY 81 words in length
• please include a title for your story (not included in the word count)
• entry is FREE
• anyone can submit
• 1 entry per person
• no profanity please - all the writing challenges on this website are shared with children
• your 81word stories will be published on this page
• when 1,000 stories have been received, we will publish an anthology and attempt to set a World Record for the most contributing authors published in an anthology
• profits from book sales will be donated to charity
• by submitting, you accept the terms and conditions
• when the anthology is published , you will be involved in the book launch process
• submit your story using the comments form or email
• include a short biography (40 words max) for use in the published book - if you don't supply a bio, we will be unable to publish your story
• include 1 link (optional) to your website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc.
Submit at: https://www.christopherfielden.com/writing-challenges/81words.php#Stories

Nancy Julien Kopp is the author at Writer Granny's World. Her pieces are shared daily on the Kansas Authors Club Facebook page. 

If you have news of writing events that would be of interest to all Kansas Authors Club members, or if you are a member (dues current) who would like to announce an achievement, please submit your news via this form. ​

Complete guidelines at WinfieldArts.org
Deadline: March 15, 2021
Writers Must Live in Kansas
Copy of entry form can be found by clicking here.

If you have news of writing events that would be of interest to all Kansas Authors Club members, or if you are a member (dues current) who would like to announce an achievement, please submit your news via this form. ​