Website Winners

Sheldon Russell

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:30:38 -0600

Sheldon Russell retired as a professor emeritus from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2000. His new website is clean, uncluttered but full of information about the western Oklahoma author.

Russell published his first novel, Empire, in 1993. Since then his historical novels include The Savage Trail, Requiem at Dawn (a finalist in Spur Awards competition), Dreams to Dust (won the Oklahoma Book Award in fiction), The Yard Dog (the first of his Hook Runyon mystery series based on a German POW camp during WWII) and The Insane Train, second in the series focused on the move of mental patients to an Oklahoma “asylum” which was named a Publishers Weekly top 100 best books of 2010. I happen to know the third book in this series will be coming out soon and it is sure to be a winner too.

Click here to return to the Writers Reminder for January 2012

Bob Avey’s Webpage!

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:31:23 -0600

Bob Avey has just completely renovated his home -- I mean his website! Check it out here:
http://www.bobavey.com/

Bob Avey is the author of the Kenny Elliot mystery series, which includes Twisted Perception, released April 2006, and Beneath a Buried House, June 2008, several short stories and various non-fiction articles. He lives with his wife and son in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma where he works as an accountant in the petroleum industry, and when he’s not writing or researching mystery writing techniques, he spends his free time prowling through dusty antique shops looking for the rare or unusual, or roaming through ghost towns, searching for echoes from the past. Through his writing, which he describes as a blend of literary and genre, he explores the intricacies and extremities of human nature.

Bob is a member of The Tulsa NightWriters, The Oklahoma Writers Federation (active board member for 2006), The Oklahoma Mystery Writers, and Mystery Writers of America.

Click here to return to the Writers Reminder for December 2011.

Bill’s Brownstone - Bill Greer

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:18:30 -0500

Wander through New York's Past and Present with
the author of “The Mevrouw Who Saved Manhattan”

Bill’s Brownstone, as he titles his website, is clean and easy to navigate with just enough graphic to relieve the type. You gotta go there to enjoy it!
I love Bill Greer’s webpage -- and not just because I am enjoying his book so much, but also because he has a deep love for the history of our country and the settlement of the Dutch (which I share). He also has a love for travel and includes a page of his adventures around the world.
His book is a delightful romp across the history of the “Reformed Dutch” who left their mark forever on the country’s biggest city.
Just catch this note:

“This story of New Amsterdam is told by a teen-age bride turned Pearl Street tavernkeeper, whose razor-sharp tongue and premium beer spur the tiny Manhattan settlement toward a head-on collision with the tyrannical Dutchmen who rule it.”

Bill Greer serves as Treasurer of the New Netherland Institute, a membership organization focusing on research and education in Dutch-American history.
His tales of Notorious New Yorkers will capture your interest and his way with words keeps you turning the pages, he includes just enough documentation to make the stories possible and even probable.

Inkygirl -- Debbie Ohi

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:11:09 -0500

Debbie Ridpath Ohi!

http://inkygirl.com/
http://debbieohi.com/

Debbie Ridpath Ohi is a writer and illustrator based in Toronto, Canada. She started out as a (leftbrain) programmer/analyst. In her spare time she writes songs and performs with a filk music group called Urban Tapestry. Filk - I learned - is NOT a misspelling of Folk. Seems it is somehow tied to sci-fi (oops, I just learned that is now called SF). You can learn all about it on Inkygirl’s webpages, which are actually just delightful and filled with writer tips and news, comics, her blog (she calls it blathering) and more.

Her comic strip, Will Write For Chocolate, focuses on a house full of freelance writers. Her iPadGirl, her blog about e-books, digital publishing (esp. effect on children's publishing), iPad apps for writers, and using the iPad for creative inspiration. She is on Facebook and she “tweets” regularly.

Congratulations Inkygirl!

Click here to return to the Writers Reminder for August 2012.

Arlene Rains Graber

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:38:38 -0500

Arlene Rains Graber!
http://arlenerainsgraber.com/

Arlene Rains Graber grew up in Kansas, first on a dairy farm, northwest of Towanda, and then in Wichita. Her first writing effort was in the second grade, when, written on an Indian Chief tablet, she penned a six-page book titled Over the Blue Moon. The story involves a young girl who travels to the moon, finding it to be blue, instead of white.

In 1984, after raising three daughters, she began a freelance writing career, writing for various publications that include The Wichita Eagle, Territorial Magazine, Kansas magazine!, Kansas Traveler, Transport Topics, The Wichita Business Journal, Small Farmers Journal, Country Register, and East Wichita News. In addition, her devotionals have been published in The Lookout and Mature Living.

When not writing, Arlene travels with her poker group. Many of her experiences appear in articles and essays. In addition, she has won numerous awards for memoirs and non-fiction articles, including Writer of the Year and Article of the Year from East Wichita News. She earned her college degree at the University of Memphis, is an avid scrapbooker, is the proud grandmother of two boys, and has worked in the travel industry for more than two decades.

Her book “Devoted to Traveling” is a chronicle of the first-hand experiences of a woman whose adventures are written with lessons learned.

Adventures, from the healing of San Francisco to a spiritual renewal in an ancient cathedral, allow readers to experience the highs and lows of traveling. As a travel professional since 1983, Graber also gives first-hand accounts of how to pack, security issues, and what happens at the airport when “canceled” blazes over the departure screen.

Currently she is writing three novels — one a mainstream novel and the other two Christian fiction novels.

Click here to return to the July 2011 Writers Reminder.

Steve Berry, author

Thu, 19 May 2011 00:57:24 -0500

Steve Berry, keynote speaker for the 2011 OK Writers Federation Conference, is not only a bestselling author, he knows the importance of preserving history -- one of my favorite things. When he agreed to come speak to our group, he required one thing -- to be allowed to conduct a program to raise money for history, through his foundation, “History Matters.” That event was scheduled for Mother’s Day, so due to conflicts and lack of sign-ups, the event was cancelled at the last minute. However -- I know his heart is good.

He is the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Vendetta, The Charlemagne Pursuit, The Venetian Betrayal, The Alexandria Link, The Templar Legacy, The Third Secret, The Romanov Prophecy, and The Amber Room. He has 10 million books in print, which have been translated into 37 languages and sold in 50 countries. Think of it! Jon bought me an autographed copy of “The Templar Legacy” and he is already almost halfway through it. I am looking forward to my turn.

This famous author, Steve Berry, shared with our group of struggling writers, his long and arduous road to being published. Eight years of having his manuscripts rejected, yet he kept on writing year after year. He kept us all on the edges of our chairs and it seemed like the shortest talk in history. We wanted more.

Steve is also an accomplished instructor, having taught the concepts of writing to many an audience across the globe. He voluntarily came in at 7:30 to teach an unscheduled novel writing class on Saturday morning. I didn’t make it but those who did, felt they had caught the brass ring.

When Steve's not writing, you can find him either on a beach, or on a golf course, or traveling — discovering more things lost — thinking of the next novel. He and his lovely publicist (who is also his wife), Elizabeth, both say they like OKC and hope to return to another conference. We hope so too.

Return to Writers Reminder, click here.

Dale Whisman!

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 16:34:44 -0500

7.AUTHOR’S WEBSITE WINNER, drumroll please ... 
http://www.dalewhisman.com
www.downtheroadplay.com

Dale Whisman grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he still resides with his wife, Sherry. They have two grown children, and six grandchildren. He is a member of the Tulsa Nightwriters, The Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc., The Oklahoma Mystery Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and a former board member of The Oklahoma Film Society. He has a number of published books in hardcopy as well as E-books.
n 1993 Dale began experimenting with writing plays, and subsequently had five of his plays produced by local community theatres -- and now--NEW YORK BROADWAY!

This is the first marketing poster the New York publicist will be working with in early marketing efforts for the play, opening June 4th.
Dale Whisman - Author & Screenwriter
THE CARL JACOBS MYSTERIES
www.dalewhisman.com
http://dalewhisman.com/blog/?cat=3
www.awocbooks.com/book.cfm?b=77
http://sites.google.com/site/writerscritiqueservice/

Jane Friedman

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 23:25:12 -0500

http://janefriedman.com/

As the former publisher and editorial director of Writer’s Digest, Jane Friedman is an industry authority on commercial, literary, and emerging forms of publishing.

Jane is starting a new newsletter
for writers (but really everyone) called
“ 3 Happy Things”.

Jane was a popular speaker at the 2010 Oklahoma Writers Conference. She says her primary goal is to be helpful.
“After a few months, I may change the format,” she says, “ but I'll always focus on sharing things that I believe are worthwhile, particularly for creative people.”

Her theme for March is Events, Conferences, and Presentations. She presents an alternative to Power Point called Sliderocket, explores Steve Jobs’ presentation secrets and tells how to superpower your conference blogging.

The Pioneer Woman!

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:09:28 -0600

Ree Drummond
http://thepioneerwoman.com/

If you have not heard of Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman, you must have been hiding in the cellar the past few years. This gal refers to herself as “a desperate housewife, moderately agoraphobic ranch wife and mother of four, accidently living in the country.”

She has an incredible following to her daily blog where she talks about her children - whom she home-schools - and her husband - she adores and calls the Marlboro Man - and her everyday life on the ranch. At her recent book signing in OKC hundreds of fans lined up to buy her books. How does she do it?

P-Dub, as she is sometimes referred to, has revamped her web page. It was a little cluttered and messy but everyone loved her down-home chatter that leaves you feeling as if you have known her forever. It is neater now, but you can still find that little red-haired girl hiding in there.

Ree wrote a cookbook that became a best-seller. Not because of any fancy recipes. It is the same everyday kind of Southern country cooking all of us do, but her recipes are flavored with fun and step-by-step photos. Go to her webpage and see it for yourself.

Now she has a new book out, “Black Heels to Tractor Wheels,” which is on its way to being a best-seller too. She calls it “My romance novel/bodice-ripping love story.”

Click here to return to the Writers Reminder for February 2011

Jan Morrill

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 23:16:36 -0600

http://www.janmorrill.com/home.html

Her webpages are clean and easy to navigate. I especially enjoyed her travel blogs with photos, and the briefs about her writing.

Jan recently completed her first novel, Broken Dolls, and is now on the journey toward publication. I am guessing that “Dolls” grew out of her short story, “Xs and Os” which appeared in Voices Anthology, Vol. III, released last June. The story is about a Japanese family relocated to a camp during the second world war.

Jan’s parents met in Hawaii, when her father was a United States Air Force officer stationed there, and her mother was employed as a stewardess with Pan American Airways.

Jan says, “When I was a child, we visited Topaz, a relocation center inUtah where my mother spent three years of her childhood. As a little girl, I couldn’t grasp the concept of being relocated. In fact, I thought it would be an adventure to live in a desert camp named for the semiprecious stone found there, and I looked all over to see if I might find a jewel. But I saw my mother crying as she recollected her days in camp, and it made me queasy, but I didn’t understand why.”

Later Jan did understand.

“Being half-Japanese, if I had been alive during that time, I too would have been sent to a relocation center.”

Great web page advertising! I look forward to reading this book.

Click here to return to Writers Reminder.

Nancy Robinson Masters

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:03:54 -0600

December 2010 Website winner is ... Nancy Robinson Masters!

http://www.nancyrobinsonmasters.com/

“Author/pilot Nancy Robinson Masters is an entertaining speaker and award-winning writer whose warmth, wit and "down home" charm have touched thousands of listeners and readers of all ages. Grab your cap and goggles and get ready to laugh, cry and fly high with one of America's most inspiring women.”

So begins the story on this month’s website winner. She is the author of 35 books. Being a pilot is just a sideline.

Masters spoke at the 2010 OWFI conference and sold out all the books she brought with her.

Nancy grew up on a cotton farm in Jones County, Texas, during seven years of severe drought. She credits much of her success today to the values, patriotism, and work ethic instilled in her during those difficult years. A licensed pilot, she resides on a farm in the Elmdale community near Abilene, Texas, adjacent to the airport built by her husband and writing partner, Master Aviator Bill Masters.

Here are a few of Nancy’s presentation titles:

Turning Your Downs Into Ups
I Can Read! I Can Write! I Have Power!
Top Ten Ways To Be A Top Gun
Mama Never Flew, But She Taught Me How To Fly

William “Bill” Bernhardt

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:08:57 -0600

November 2010 Website winner is ... William Bernhardt!

When he's not writing, William Bernhardt is also a highly sought public speaker. He frequently talks to library and writing groups, book festivals and Friends of the Library banquets. He even narrates music performances and plays the piano with symphony orchestras! Whether you seek an inspirational keynote speaker, a highlight event for your book festival, or an after-dinner speaker for your library program, William Bernhardt is an ideal choice.

In Bernhardt’s latest book, Capitol Betrayal, attorney Ben Kincaid faces the biggest--and final--case of his career, as he represents the President of the United States in the midst of an international firestorm.

http://www.williambernhardt.com/index.php

Buzz Aldrin

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 01:15:23 -0500

October 2010 Website winner: BUZZ ALDRIN!

His purpose is clear. He has items to sell in his “store” and his speaking opportunities are publicized. Information on his “Latest Buzz” page are current with up-to-date announcements of his appearances. Obviously it is updated frequently.

Spelling and grammar are impeccable. There is plenty of information about the author, and he is certainly well-recognized for his work and experience. The website downloads quickly, and presents useful information in easy to understand language. The screen display is outstanding.

A good “contact me” system is imperative, and the contact page offers all these methods:
Buzz’s iPhone+iPad App
Social Media
Buzz’s Newsletter
Contact Buzz
• Press Inquiries
• Customer Service
• Business Development
• General Info

(Click here to return to Writers Reminder)

Linda C. Apple

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:44:54 -0500

Linca C. Apple
Click here to go to the website: http://bit.ly/9w353T

Linda Apple says her first career as mom-in-charge is done. So she is working on second second career as a writer & speaker. She is doing very well on both counts.

She has had numerous stories published in the Chicken Soup series of books, plus her own little books, Inspire! And Connect!
This book is a simple guide to public speaking for writers -- but any person called on to speak or make announcements could certainly benefit by it. I keep one right beside my laptop case to review before every appearance.

I just finished Connect! and found it very helpful. It is a quick read at 125 pages, and a book you will want to keep for reference.

Here’s what Linda says about it: “In Connect! A Simple Guide to Public Speaking, I take you step-by-step to becoming a confident and effective speaker. In this book you will:
•Discover ways to find topics.
•Learn how to write and present a speech.
•Develop your speaking style.
•Receive tips and tricks for before, during, and after your speech.
Let me help you lose your fear of the microphone and Connect!”

Lawrence Block

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:49:27 -0500

You GOTTA see the opening of Lawrence Block’s website. One of the best I have ever seen!
http://www.lawrenceblock.com/

Born in Buffalo, New York in 1938, Lawrence Block attended Antioch College in Yellow Springs, OH, but never graduated. His earliest work, published pseudonymously in the 1950s, was mostly in the porn paperback industry.

Of this book, LB says in his blog, “My first Andrew Shaw title for Nightstand Books was CAMPUS TRAMP, and it was to achieve mythic status at Antioch College, with battered copies selling at Senior Sales for three-figure prices. (Well, five figures, if you count the zeroes after the decimal point.) For years I comforted myself with the thought that the book had not been printed on acid-free paper, and would eventually disappear from the face of the earth. But that is not to be, as I’ve arranged for Creeping Hemlock Press. to reissue the book as a handsome trade paperback, with an intro from me recalling the writing of it and the reception it got.”

The first of his “own” work to appear was the 1957 story “You Can't Lose.” He has since published more than fifty novels and more than a hundred short stories, as well as a series of books for writers. Block was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America in 1993.

Velda Brotherton

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:58:13 -0500

March 2010 WEBSITE WINNER: Velda Brotherton
http://www.veldabrotherton.com/index.htm

In her “About me” website section, Velda says: Writing has been my passion for 25 years or more. I was born in Arkansas, have lived many places, including Kansas, Colorado, Missouri and New York. My husband and I now live in Arkansas in a home I designed and helped build. It sits on ten acres and to the north is the Ozark National Forest. It's a wonderful place to write and contemplate life. We have two children, three grandchildren and a great-grandchild. My work has been published in historical romance, regional non-fiction, articles in newspapers and magazines, short stories in anthologies and non-fiction in anthologies. I hope to be found one day sitting at my computer, cold fingers in the home position, a smile on my face because I've gone doing what I love. Writing. And here's hoping I arrive at my destination to find a waiting computer, or at least a pad and pencil.

(Editor’s note: Sounds good to me!)
Click here to see other website and blog winners.

Steve Hunt Books

Sat, 15 May 2010 02:07:55 -0500

May 2010 Website winner: Steven Hunt
www.StevenHuntBooks.com

I haven’t read his books yet, haven’t ever met him, but this author won my heart with his email note, and when I clicked on the hotlink to his website I was greatly impressed. I think you will be too.

Carolyn,

I wanted to write a quick thank you for the time and effort you place in your Writer Reminder e-zine. I look forward to it each month and digest it piece by piece. I met you at the 2007 Red Dirt Book Festival and have been a subscriber ever since. You have been an inspiration to me to the point that I was a lecturer at the 2009 Red Dirt Book Festival. Maybe when I grow up out of my forty-seven year old body I can be an inspiration to others as you have been to me.

Thank you.

Steven Hunt
Ransom Betrayal, 2009
Guardian of Light, 2007
www.StevenHuntBooks.com

Butch Bridges, T&T

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:28:35 -0500

March 2010 WEBSITE WINNER: Butch Bridges, THIS AND THAT.

This and That is not really a website, not really a blog, not really a mailing list, not really memorabilia - tho there is a lot of that about Ardmore OK-- not really a newsletter. So what is it?

T&T is kind of all of those wrapped up together.

His email always starts out like this:
Greetings from Lone Grove America..... the link below will take you to this evening's "This and That" newsletter.
http://www.OklahomaHistory.net/newsletters/TT686.htm

HERE IS A SAMPLE column, sent in by a reader, about a baby squirrel that fell out of its nest and how the mother came to rescue it. This is a great story by Pat Upchurch. Cup of Comfort would love this story.

From: This and That Vol 13 Issue 659 September 10, 2009 by Butch Bridges

Rescuing the Baby Squirrel
By Pat Upchurch
Saturday our next door neighbors had a dead tree removed from their yard
and we were ‘supervising’.
We enjoy the burning wood smell of our chiminea and Herb asked if he could
have some of the wood from the tree as the men were just going to haul it off. He
started cutting the main part of the tree into sections that would fit into our
chiminea with his chain saw.
After cutting several sections and rolling them over to our fence one of the
guys who was working saw the tail of a squirrel sticking out of a hollow place in the
tree and they all thought it was dead. Herb went over and pulled on the tail and it
wouldn’t budge, he pulled harder and out this squirrel came and ran as fast as it
could across the yard, across our yard so fast we didn’t know where it went.
Herb took a small stick and poked up into the hole and found a baby squirrel
that didn’t even have its eyes open.
Herb pulled the baby out of the hole and our neighbor wrapped it up in a paper towel
and put it in his pocket. A little later they got a doll bottle and tried to feed it some
milk. Everyone left and things got quiet but the baby started to cry. We heard squirrels
all around barking and making all sorts of noises coming into our yards listening to
that baby squirrel cry.
The neighbor took the baby and put him on the trunk of the tree next to the
one that had been cut and several squirrels appeared in and around the trees next to
it. One was in that tree and came down the trunk of the tree towards the baby and it
did that twice but would run back up the tree. All of a sudden, so quick we could
hardly fathom what was going on, she ran down that tree and grabbed that baby and
ran back up the tree as fast as lightening.
We all cheered and clapped when we realized what had happened. First of
all, we couldn’t figure out how Herb sawed into that tree and didn’t kill them both,
then we didn’t think there would be baby squirrels at this time of year and we sure
didn’t think the mother would take it back after we had handled it but we were
elated the story had such a happy ending.

Click here to go back to the Writers Reminder for April 2010.

Anastasia Hobbet

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:15:04 -0600

Anastasia Hobbet
http://www.anastasiahobbet.com/Small_Kingdoms/Small_Kingdoms.html

Anastasia (Staci) Hobbet, a past member of OKC Writers, announced the publishing of her novel, Small Kingdoms, on January 15. “Hobbet’s second novel, set in Kuwait between the two Gulf wars, beautifully evokes both character and place....Hobbet vividly renders both the stark landscape of the Middle East and its class disparity....An eloquent, haunting, and enlightening novel.” --Booklist, starred review. Visit her Web site for more reviews and to purchase.
Be sure to visit her PHOTOS page with Images of Kuwait. She describes it: A personal look at the place I portray in Small Kingdoms with photography and locations that evoke the novel for me. I offer my warm thanks to the fine photographers from all over the world who offeed their work for use on this website.

Anastasia “Staci” Hobbet ... was nominated by Laura Westervelt

Bill Wetterman - the Independent

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:41:31 -0600

December WEBSITE WINNER: Bill Wetterman, The Independent
http://theheartofanovelist.blogspot.com/

Bill Wetterman is a Christian fiction writer and retired business executive. His short story, An Unexpected Dream, won second place in the Armchair Interview's Thanksgiving Contest. His non-fiction article was published by Chicken Soup for the Soul:Count Your Blessings in December.

Bill contributes regularly to The Write Life e-zine, has completed four contemporary fiction novels (not yet sold or published) and has a popular blog, “The Heart of a Novelist.”

His most recent blog is titled, “The Blizzard of 2009” and opens with this sentence: “If life serves up snowstorms -- stay home and write.”

Truer words were never spoken for those who have the choice.

Bill Wetterman is a retired former Vice President of Operations for Wolter's Search Group in the Midwest. He also spent sixteen years in labor relations with two major Fortune 500 companies. He was nominated by John Biggs.

Click here to return to Writers Reminder for January 2010