Promotional Item #2

I also ordered 250 business cards from Vista Print that we can use to give to people interested in our book.

I will disburse some too you all at our next meeting. Anyone who can't attend an upcoming meeting, let me know and I'll mail some business cards to you.

As you can see at the bottom of the card, I also created an email address that I will monitor in case some interested people have any questions for us or in the event that some media types request that we appear on a late-night talk show. ;-)

Promotional Item #1

I designed and ordered 50 rack cards from Vista Print to place with our book wherever we plan to sell it and also as an informational device to leave with a library, at a writers convention, or just to leave on display at MCC or at any other educational forum.

If you think you'd like a few copies to help promote our book, let me know and I'll bring some to our next meeting.

If you can think of any other content that would help explain who we are or if you believe that there should be additional detail contained in the rack card, just let me know and I can modify it for the next time I order some.

Let me know what you think.

Another Writer in Our Midst

Bob provided the attached notice for a book signing by his wife, Patty. She wrote the book Behind the Smile. The signing will be on Saturday, January 7th from 1-3 PM at Bank Square Books in Mystic.

Biography (from Amazon.com)

Writing Behind The Smile was a final tribute to my son whom I lost to the disease of addiction. I never thought I'd be writing a book like this. However, it has been a catharsis for my grief.

Born in Boston, Ma. on April 16, 1950, I am a mother of 3 and a grandmother of 3. I spent most of my adult life teaching music both in schools and giving private piano lessons. I have been involved with many vocal groups and served as cantor for my church.

Now retired, I began writing by keeping journals following the death of my son. Having published one book, I am in the process of writing another, dealing with grieving the loss of a loved one.

This biography was provided by the author or their representative.

2012 Meeting Schedule

The 2012 meeting schedule is posted on our blog. I set Saturdays as our meeting dates with emailed stories due one week prior. All you have to know regarding the schedule is that emailed stories are due no later than the first and third Saturdays of every month and our meetings at the Lowe Building at MCC just outside the Culinary Arts Center will be at 10 AM the second and fourth Saturdays of every month.

Let's try to make these meetings if at all possible. One of our goals is to establish an incentive to write and attending the meetings should provide the drive necessary for us to write. If we have stories to critique and stories that we're looking for feedback then this will work. Another goal is to publish a second anthology in either 2012 or early 2013.

As you know the books arrived and I issued a schedule of where I will be for you to pick up your copies. I will be there at those days and times unless no one contacts me for one or more of those specific times. So don't plan on my being there unless you contact me to let me know that you will be picking up your books. You can always wait until a Saturday meeting to pick up your books. Just let me know what you'd like to do.

This Wednesday's Meeting is Canceled

This Wednesday's meeting is canceled because there are no submissions to critique. Please work on your stories so that we will have something to discuss at our next meeting in January.

It was suggested that we move all our meetings to Saturday mornings. How does everyone feel about that? Will that help more of us attend the meetings or were Wednesday afternoons important to some of you?

Having attended our first Saturday meeting I can tell you that the parking lot was nearly empty, the area outside the Culinary Arts Center was completely empty, and a noon wrap-up still allows us to have the rest of the day to ourselves. This contrasts to a Wednesday afternoon meeting where there was much pedestrian traffic and noise to contend with.

I'll draw up the 2012 schedule when we find out what the majority wishes regarding the meeting days.

Tales From Half Moon Room

We are Jordon's Twelve and have published an anthology titled Tales from Half Moon Room. In this book, you will find stories about growing up, romance, relationships, travel, adventure, fantasy, comedy, tragedy, and drama. In short, everything that makes up our human experience.

These are stories written from the heart in ways that demonstrate how we as individuals interact with one another in all the many inspiring, heartbreaking, and fascinating ways that people do and how we mature because of our experiences.

(click on the title of this post to purchase a copy of Tales from Half Moon Room)

Book Meeting Update

There were six of us at the 10 AM-noon meeting this past Saturday outside the Culinary Arts Center and it was readily apparent that we should squeeze in a Saturday morning group meeting to discuss story feedback. There were hardly any college students on campus and no one in the open area where we met. This would be a great opportunity to meet on a morning when most, if not all, of us are not working and then still have the rest of the day to ourselves.

At the meeting on December 14th, I'd like to draft the 2012 schedule. Here is my plan:

• 1st Wednesday of the month - story submissions via email
• 2nd Wednesday of the month - 3 PM feedback meeting @ MCC (Culinary Arts Center)
  
• 3rd Saturday of the month - story submissions via email
• 4th Saturday of the month - 10 AM feedback meeting @ MCC (Culinary Arts Center)
  

This will allow everyone to know exactly when the deadlines and meetings are. I also believe this schedule will allow most of us to attend at least one meeting per month. If we conflict with holidays we can address that when the time comes.

Regarding the group book. It was poured over on Saturday and everyone in attendance agreed that it looks good. I contacted Angela at BookLocker and told her that we are satisfied with the book and ready to move on to the next step. I am waiting to hear back from her.

I am a member of the Connecticut Authors & Publishers Association and plan to attend their CAPA-U writing conference this coming May in Hartford and also volunteer to man their booth at the Connecticut Building at the Big E in the fall. I would like to bring copies of our book to these events for sale to the public. If we're successful, I'll distribute the profits among the group.

It would be nice if we could publish a companion book in 2012. We could title it, "More Tales From Half Moon Room". So either dust off some old stories that you have or work on some new ideas and we can review them during our 2012 meetings.