News - WFTJ Rocky Mountain Region

Welcome to our Founder, Sharen Watson's, newsletter for the WFTJ Rocky Mountain Region. If you would like to submit a news item or would like to receive the weekly newsletter via email, please contact Sharen at Sharen@wordsforthejourney.org.

Sharen recently moved from Spring, Texas to Highlands Ranch, Colorado, but she doesn't plan to lose touch with Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild. Aside from her occasional visits to Texas, she wanted to make sure she kept everyone up to date on her goings-on. Please visit The Founder's Pen page of this website monthly, where you'll find encouragement, refreshment and news from the Front Range.

Meetings: For information about WFTJ Rocky Mountain Region meetings and calendar of events, please click here.

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ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION NEWSLETTER

February 19, 2007

“Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work.”

Exodus 36:2 (NIV)

The names are difficult to pronounce; the culture, very different from our own. These men belonged to a population of desert wanderers, following the cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night. They stopped only when the presence of God halted for a time. And they followed when He moved.

During a time of respite from travel, God gave Moses the directions to build the Tent of Meeting – the Tabernacle. Specific instruction was given as to how this dwelling place of God would look and what it would contain. Specifications such as embroidery patterns and minute detailing of tassels on both the Tabernacle itself and the priests robes were stated.

Beautiful candlesticks (lampstands) with flowerlike cups were fashioned out of pure gold in the shape of almond buds and flowers extending off of branches. Directions for making fragrant incense and the acacia wood altar it would be burned on were clearly defined to Moses.

Finally, beyond all the instruction were the names of the men who would lead the production of these holy articles. “Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given the ability AND who was willing to come and do the work.” (emphasis mine)

You, my dear friend…YOU have also been summoned to do the very thing the Lord has designed you to do. You have a gift, an ability to weave words into a magnificent tapestry for His Glory! This is the reason He created you. He is summoning you. Do you hear Him?

Calendar of Events

Pay attention and mark your calendars

February 2007

February 20, 2007 – 9:30-11:30 AM – Southeast Christian Church (Parker) Corner of Wintergreen and Jordan . We are in a room just across the hall from the church office. Come in and ENJOY!

TOPIC

Megan DiMaria will be teaching on the subject of THEMES for your fiction piece.

Don’t miss out! This is VERY important stuff to know! I can’t wait to learn from Megan!

CRITIQUE

In the Crit Corner this week: Jerry

If you have anything to critique, please send it to me in the body of an email I’ll put you in the line up. Remember to bring approximately 15 copies to share with the group. They will be returned to you (with helpful feedback after your critique) to take home for use in consideration for your rewrite.

*Remember – It is not necessary to have something to critique to be a part of Words For The Journey. Come join our meetings regardless. You’ll learn the craft of writing, be inspired and we value your input.

Febrary 27, 2007 – Evening meeting at Barnes and Noble. For more info, see below in: Upcoming Events and Special Guest Speakers.

March 6, 2007 – 9:30-11:30 AM – Southeast Christian Church (Parker) Corner of Wintergreen and Jordan . We are in a room just across the hall from the church office. Come in and ENJOY!

TOPIC

TBA

CRITIQUE

See above

In the Crit Corner this week:

WFTJ Monthly Evening Events

(Barnes and Noble)

Words For The Journey

Christian Writers Guild

Is geared up for 2007. That means we are filling up the calendar with special guest speakers to teach, encourage and inspire you on your writing journey. These speaker presentations take place the LAST Tuesday night (7:00-9:00 PM) of each month at Barnes and Noble Booksellers near Park Meadows Mall off County Line .

Speakers so far include…

February 27, 2007 – Bob Peterson (freelance journalist and author of Robert Chapman, A Biography, and Agape Leadership). TOPIC: TBA

March 27, 2007 – Kirsten Lasinski (author of The Fall and Guarded) TOPIC: TBA

April 24, 2007 – Darlene Franklin (author of Romanian Rhapsody; Upcoming title, book one in the Barbour’s new mystery line - Gunfight at Grace Gulch - tentative release date of February, 2008) TOPIC: Quirks, Clues and Crime: Writing the Cozy Mystery.

May 29, 2007 – Heather Diane Tipton (BLOG Specialist) TOPIC: By popular demand, Heather will be teaching about BLOGS! Heather is the BLOG babe, and has offered to teach us everything she knows. Professional authors call on Heather to set up and promote BLOG tours for marketing purposes, and her expertise is sure to help anyone who desires to set up a BLOG.

June 26, 2007 – Linda Evans Shepherd – Linda Evans Shepherd is a nationally and internationally recognized speaker, the radio host of the nationally syndicated radio feature, Right to the Heart; a TV host and an award-winning, prolific author. She speaks to those who want to laugh and draw closer to God and each other. Linda has authored fifteen books, including Intimate Encounters With God and the Potluck Club. She has started a new ministry for the women of the church [Right to the Heart of Women], as well as a ministry to the Advanced Women Authors and Speakers [AWSA]) TOPIC: TBA

July 31, 2007 – Michele Cushatt (Dynamic Communicators Workshop); You have all heard me say that speaking and writing go hand in hand. This is a workshop you won’t want to miss. Michele will be teaching all things “speaking” and how those coordinate with all things “writing.”

September 25, 2007 - Two for One! Greg and Becky Johnson (WordServe Literary) Please visit Greg’s website at www.wordserveliterary.com. TOPIC: TBA

October 30, 2007 – Danica Favorite (TAX Pro) Just in time for the end of the year, when we all start to consider our financial status as writers. Danica, a Tax Pro with H&R Block and writer is going to share tips and secrets we all need to know when it comes to our incomes, taxes, gains and losses as authors and writers. Be sure you join us for this topic specific workshop. You need it probably more than you know (I know I do).

Stay tuned…lots of happenings in the works! I’ll continue announcing events and speakers, as I confirm the dates.

*Openings available for special guest speakers for 2007!!! Don’t delay! We need to hear from you. Yes, all the slots have been filled for the monthly evening meetings, but guest speakers can show up anytime, whether it be a day or an evening meeting. Keep your eyes and calendars open. There are a few events in the works…

Ever-Changing Writers Resources

and

Other Writing Events

This list of Resources will continue to change weekly, but only with your help.

Please email your resources to me (IRite4Him@aol.com) along with a brief blurb (no more than 50 words) explaining why you appreciate your resources, and I will include them in our newsletter each week. No more than one recommendation each week per member. Thank you!

Okay, y’all I’m including a LOT of information here, breaking my own rules of word count here (BIG TIME) – AGAIN – but I thought these were worthy of your reading time. Think about attending one or both of these events. They are about as local as you can ask for, and you get to visit a CASTLE!

Don’t forget to keep scrolling past the two events…one more resource, a very important one is just past the two events…

Writers: The Courage to Risk, The Courage to Write (Last newsletter announcement for this event)

February 25-March 1, 2007

This conference will focus on writing well, with separate emphases on writing screenplays, fiction, and nonfiction. Conferees may also select classes on writing for children, for men, for lovers of history, and writing articles and speeches. All classes will be interactive and entertaining!

GE (Glen Eyrie): I'm sure many people dream of being a writer. Is this conference for them or people with more experience?

AH (Angela Hunt): [The main audience is] adults and older teens who are interested in writing. Beginners or advanced writers are welcome to attend and should find plenty to enhance their skills.

GE: What makes you most excited about teaching writing workshops?

AH: Our entire team--Nancy Rue, Kathy Mackel, Alton Gansky, and [me]—loves teaching. We are all multi-published writers who write in a variety of genres and are passionate about sharing the good news of Christ through the means of story and the written word.

GE: What are two things you hope writers will take away from your conference?

AH: We’d like them to be more confident in their abilities, more precise in their methods, and more courageous in their writing efforts.

PRICING AND REGISTRATION

DATES: February 25-March 1, 2007

Conference Fee (program only):

$258/person
Includes all meals and conference materials.
Stay at Glen Eyrie (prices per room per night):
Standard room: $70 plus tax
Deluxe room: $95 plus tax
Premier room: $110 plus tax

Register online or call 1-877-488-8787 or register by phone!

http://www.navigators.org/us/ministries/gleneyrie/programs/programs/Angela%20Hunt%20and%20Nancy%20Rue OR Google Glen Eyrie and select “Conferences by Topic” and then “Personal Development Conferences,” and scroll down to writers conferences.

Stay at Glen Eyrie (prices per room per night)

Updated Information…

Donita Paul - Writers

March 25-27, 2007

Take your writing to the next level!

Beginning and entry-level fiction writers, you won’t want to miss this exciting conference tailored just for you! Don’t spend another year promising to really improve your writing. Make 2007 the year you grow by leaps and bounds as a writer!

Best-selling Christian author Donita Paul leads this highly interactive workshop for new fiction writers. You’ll learn invaluable methods and techniques that will benefit you throughout your life as a writer, in areas such as dialogue, plotting, and character development.

Sessions include:

Let’s Talk it Over: Writing believable and entertaining dialogue that moves your story forward.

Flight to Florida : Also known as plot development and planning! An overview of “methods” used by writers who seem to write novels as easily as most of us write shopping lists.

Making Sure it’s Your Voice: How to establish and maintain your own unique “writer’s voice” throughout your story.

Standard room: $70 plus tax
Deluxe room: $95 plus tax
Premier room: $110 plus tax

***To print a coupon for $25 off a night: http://www.thendaa.com/theglen/25_off.pdf

AND, here’s the NEW and VITAL info…

If I were you, I’d pay CLOSE attention to this one!!! I’m personally endorsing this teleseminar series as I am currently taking and applying it myself. Please consider the possibility of doing the same…

Check out an amazing four-part series for writers called: CLEAN UP YOUR ACT. Hosted by best selling fiction author and marketing guru, Randy Ingermanson with strategic planning expert Allison Bottke. If you're interested in actually PLANNING your writing career, this series may be just the thing for you! Randy has made major progress in the last two months in mapping out his own career, thanks to Allison's help.

You can find out more about this teleseminar series here:

http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com/info/clean_act.php

The feedback on this series so far has been Xtremely positive. I mention it today because the 4th and final Teleseminar in the series is Monday, February 12 at:

5 pm PST / 6 pm MST / 7 pm CST / 8 pm EST.

It's not too late to sign up now. All our teleseminars are professionally recorded and I post them online within a few days of the call. So even if you miss the call, you don't need to miss the message.

Newsletter Section Addition!

Writing Contests

Subject to Change so keep updated by reading this section weekly

Words For The Journey

Christian Writers Guild

ANNOUNCING…

WFTJ’s BACK COVER BLURB CONTEST 2007

Last call! We’ve received SEVERAL entries now, but I’m going to keep the payment deadline open until February 23, 2007 (for all of you procrastinators, because I understand you J). This means you can pay entry fee/fees at our meeting this Tuesday, or you still have time to mail it to me at the address below.

C’mon, c’mon! Get them in here! We all need professional headshots for those professional business cards!

Put on your thinking cap and sharpen your pencil. It’s up to you to write that irresistible back cover copy that will compel readers to choose your book over the competition.

Eligibility: The Back Cover Blurb Contest is open to all Denver area writers who write for the Christian market. All entries must be their own original work.

Prizes: There are two prizes, one for published writers and one for pre-published writers. Each prize is an Expressions Photography gift certificate good toward a business headshot session and a business CD with one image. Business CDs come with copyright ownership—you own unlimited usage rights to reproduce your image at will. You will receive your images in full print resolution in color, as well as black & white (.jpg as well as .tif). The value of each prize is $89. Gift certificates have no cash value and cannot be redeemed for any other session type. For more information visit http://www.expressionsphotos.com/business.shtml.

Fees: $5 per entry. Please bring your entry fee/fees to a Words For The Journey meeting or mail it to Sharen Watson at 9878 Atherton Way , Highlands Ranch , CO 80130 by February 13, 2007. Please make payable to Sharen Watson. All collected fees will be added to the WFTJ General Fund which is used to buy gifts for speakers and other necessary purchases needed for our group.

Categories: Fiction and Nonfiction

Judging: Three multi-published, award-winning authors have agreed to be our judges.

Submission Instructions: Your entry can be no more than 300 words describing your book/books. This is an all email contest. Each entrant must email their entry as a Microsoft Word document attachment to Megan DiMaria at aoldb://mail/write/mdimaria3@comcast.net. Format your entry to 12 point font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins. The contest recommends the use of Courier, Courier New, Courier Dark, or Times New Roman. Please do not use an unusual font that a judge might not have on their computer. Title your entry with the working title of your book. Do NOT place your name or pseudonym anywhere on the entry. Put your name with your working title in your email subject line and Megan will assign your entry a number before it is sent to the judges.

Deadline: All entries must be received by February 27, 2007. Winners will be announced at the March 27, 2007 meeting of Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild.

American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) is pleased to announce the opening of the 6^th annual ACFW GENESIS Contest. Formerly known as the Noble Theme Contest, GENESIS is designed to provide an avenue for aspiring novelists to achieve publication of their manuscripts.

Only those who have not published either adult or youth fiction in the past seven years may enter the contest. Their entries will receive unbiased feedback. Finalists in each category will have their work reviewed by editors from such esteemed houses as Tyndale, Zondervan, Bethany , NavPress, and Barbour, and/or literary agents from accomplished agencies such as Alive Communications, Hartline Literary Agency, The Steve Laube Agency, and MacGregor Literary. Many novelists who attained finalist status in the contest are now published authors, including Tamera Alexander, Jill Elizabeth Nelson, Carrie Turansky, and Cindy Woodsmall.

New to this year's contest is the method of entry required by participants. Registration is online via the ACFW website, and the electronic file of the entry (.doc or .rtf) is downloaded. Categories are Contemporary Romance (including romantic comedy), Historical Romance, Romantic Suspense, Sci Fi/Fantasy/Allegory, Historical Fiction (not romance), Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction, Women's Fiction, Suspense/Thriller/Mystery, Chick/Mom/Hen/Lady Lit.

Winners of each category will be announced at the Gala Banquet at the 2007 American Christian Fiction Writers Conference and will receive a plaque as well as first pick of appointments with editors and agents at the 2008 American Christian Fiction Writers Conference.

Submission for entries is now open and all entries must be received no later than 11:59pm PST on April 15, 2007. Only the first 100 entries in each category (1000 total) will be accepted into the contest. For more information regarding categories, format of submissions, and eligibility, please visit http://www.acfw.com/genesis/.

Upcoming Writers Conferences:

Please let me know which conferences you plan to attend!

Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference: March 30-April 3, 2007;

Mount Hermon , CA

More Information: www.mounthermon.org/writers

Colorado Christian Writers Conference: May 16-19, 2007;

Estes Park, CO
More Information: www.writehisanswer.com

Members Attending and/or Teaching Workshops: Sharen Watson (Getting Personal and CCWC Conference Orientation); Paula Moldenhauer (Humor and Holiness w/Kathy Kovach and Finding Your Internet Niche/Ministry); Kathy Kovach (Humor and Holiness w/Paula Moldenhauer); Margie Vawter (Self-Editing Savvy and Paid Critiques)

Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference: May 20-25, 2007; Ridgecrest , NC (near Asheville , NC )

More Information: www.lifeway.com/christianwriters or http://www.yvonnelehman.com/

Members Attending: Linda Kozar (Director of WFTJ – Southeast Texas Region)

Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference: August 9-11, 2007;

Philadelphia , PA
More Information: www.writehisanswer.com

American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW): September 20-23, 2007;

Dallas , TX

www.acfw.com/conference