Summary of 1-5-13 meeting

WOTS Minutes

Jan 5, 2013

Present

Annette O’Hare

Bob Stewart

Carla Hoch

Carol Johnson

Charlotte Holt

Gerri Wood

Janetta Messmer

Janice Thompson

Joanne Hillman

Kim Roy

Linda Kozar

Martha Rogers

Mary Foster

Mary Hamilton

Nancy Kimball

Susan Cottrell

Alice Thomas

Christy Lee

Stacey Zink

David Martindale - visitor

Bethany MacManus

Kathrese McKee

• Self introduction of those present
• New WOTS Web Info:
• wots.acfw.blogpsot.com
• wots.acfw@gmail.com
• ACFW contest The End
• Speaker - WOTS Pres. Nancy Kimball

Reader Rewards and Why

They’re More Important Then Ever

(handout given)

News From Our 2013 President, Nancy Kimball

*Note from Linda Kozar: 

Though Nancy has created a brand new WOTS blog, this blog will continue to stay up because all our chapter history/pictures, etc. are on it. Current meeting info will updated here, but this blog will not have the Paypal option or the most recent posts.

Greetings!
As an existing member or past visitor to American Christian Fiction Writers WOTS chapter, I'd like to encourage you to visit the new chapter website at http://wotsacfw.blogspot.com/

You can also reply to this e-mail to RSVP for the first meeting of 2013 on January 5th, where I will be presenting friend of Seekerville, former marketing executive and Philosophy of Romance blogger Vince Mooney's "Reader Rewards & Why They're More Important than Ever". RSVP'ing in advance will earn you a second entry into the door-prize drawing.

Lastly, we have some open dates in 2013 and if you are interested in speaking/presenting on a craft or industry topic, please e-mail me at nancykimball@hotmail.com with your first two choices of dates from the calendar and the topic of your presentation with a two or three sentence description. It is not a requirement to be traditionally published to present, though you do need to be a member in good standing of both ACFW National and our local chapter, Writers on the Storm.

Best wishes and Merry Christmas to all,

Nancy Kimball
2013 Chapter President

-- 
Writers on the Storm
Your Woodlands, TX ACFW Chapter
Visit our Official Website

On the 13th Day of Christmas...Help Linda & Janice Spread The Word!--By Linda Kozar

We're doing a blog tour and need bloga-teers to host.  If you can, here's a great big hug from me and Janice (( )).  Then, at any time between December 12th and 23rd (dates inclusive),  post the picture above and the details below. That's it! Folks enter via Twitter and Pinterest after that. Thanks bunches! Spyglass Lane Mysteries

---

12 Cozy Mysteries of Christmas Ebook Giveaway! Posted: 10 Dec 2012 07:12 PM PST ‘Tis the season for a great whodunnit! If you love cozies as much as we do, then you’re in for a holiday treat! From December 12 – 23, we’re giving away one cozy mystery EVERY DAY! So light the fireplace and grab a cup of hot cocoa, because you just may have a free cozy mystery coming your way! HOW TO ENTER There are two ways to enter: Create a Pinboard entitled My 12 Cozies of Christmas. Fill it with 12 Spyglass Lane titles that either you want to read, or have already read and love! Be sure to use the #12CoziesofChristmas hashtag in the description of each pinned book cover. One pinboard will automatically enter you in each daily drawing! Tweet about Spyglass Lane mysteries. Simply Tweet about  the giveaway or one of your favorite Spyglass Lane Mysteries or authors and include the #12CoziesofChristmas hashtag along with the www.spyglasslanemysteries.com link. You may Tweet as many times as you want each day! Only Tweets sent out the day of the giveaway will be considered for that day’s drawing. Follow us on the Spyglass Lane blog, Twitter @SpyglassMystery or Facebook for the latest info on the 12 Cozies of Christmas giveaway! Each day, we’ll reveal which Spyglass Lane cozy mystery we’ll be giving away. GIVEAWAY INFO Each day, we will reveal which Spyglass Lane mystery will be given away that day A “giveaway day” runs from 12AM EST to 11:59PM EST. There will be one winner per day Winners will be announced the following morning A Pinboard (see rules above) counts as one entry each day of the giveaway. Tweets (see rules above) only apply to the day in which they were originally Tweeted. For example, if you send 10 Tweets on Thursday the 13th, you will be entered 10 times in that day’s drawing. But those Tweets will not apply to the next day’s drawing. Winners will be chosen via Randomizer.org, with Tweets and Pinboards each assigned a unique number Winners will be announced via our blog, Twitter @SpyglassMystery or Facebook. Winners will be contacted via email or social media. If a winner does not hear from Spyglass Lane, they may contact us at SpyglassLaneMysteries (at) gmail (dot) com. Winners will receive their prize in the form of a Smashwords coupon that they can redeem at Smashwords.com. Smashwords accommodates all ereader devices, though it may require the device to be directly connected to a computer for proper download. The same person may win more than once! There is no entry limit Participants are expected to play nice! Inappropriate behavior (including but not limited to foul language, bullying, trolling, arguing) will not be tolerated and Spyglass Lane reserves the right to exclude such people from these and future giveaways

White Elephant Christmas Party 2012--OUR FAVORITE AWFUL BOOKS!

Mary Hamilton gets frazzled

If you missed the annual White Elephant Book Exchange Christmas party at my house this year, you missed a GREAT one!

The food was yummy, the people chummy and the books . . .scummy!

To the left, Mary Hamilton's face reflects the title of the mystery marvel she unwrapped: "The Frazzeled Female"

Annette O'Hare unwrapped THE BEST title of all time:

"Bedtime Stories for Children You Hate." A crowd favorite, she shared some of the chapter titles and stories too.

Nancy Kimball & Annette O'Hare

 NancyKimball and Annette O'Hare display their little gems: "Only You" is Nancy's.

 Above, Charlotte Holt holds the "Bathroom Reader Plunges into History." "Nuf said...

I wound up with this book--full of funny pictures of what to do with a dead body. Of course, one would have to have a macabre or dare I say, warped sense of humor to appreciate this book, but I love it. My favorite picture? Ice skating partner.


Below is the first book I unwrapped. YES, we stole books, though it was unclear at first if anyone would actually want to. The first book I bought was titled, "The Hair Book." The entire book was covered in black fur with a hot pink comb embedded in the top center. Hysterical. Of course Janetta Messmer brought it. Yeah, girl!

Janetta opens two old writing books!

The Hair Book

Dannelle Woody was delighted to receive "Bless Your Heart, Tramp!" Filled with southern homespun wisdom about the trauma of push-up bras and Amish starter bread, this book says what others only think.

Charlotte Holt's first book (before it was snatched away by Janice Thompson) "Miss Becky's Charm School". Saucy Southern wisdom and etiquette never read better. We delighted in the excerpts Janice read to us.

 Nancy Kimball, our newly elected president and Bethany McManus, our newly elected vice-president presented the outgoing board members (Martha Rogers, president, Janice Thompson, vice-president, Annette O'Hare, treasurer and Linda Kozar, secretary) with beautiful plagues commemorating our service to the Writers On The Storm chapter! How cool is that! Thanks so much, Nancy and  Bethany!

Lisa Gefrides admires the book I brought to the table, "Polish Your Furniture With Pantyhose." Did you know that Listerine is good for your lawn? Says so in the book.

 Martha's book's got attitude, "Don't Say I Didn't Warn You!"

Writers On The Storm writers rock!

Above, Janetta "Santa" Messmer and Charlotte Holt ham it up.

Annette O'Hare and our newest member Susan Cottrell! Susan stole the much-coveted "Bedtime Stories For Children You Hate."

Connie Power is clearly unfazed by her book, "What's Your Poo Telling You?"

White Elephant Book Exchange Party!

Writers On The Storm and Guests

YOU are invited to our annual

White Elephant Book Exchange Christmas Party!

ON

Saturday, December 1st from 11:00 am-1:00 pm

at 

Linda Kozar's home

Bring a:

• Dish to share (in the breakfast or lunch category)
• Suitable White Elephant Book gift-wrapped or in a gift bag with your name written on the "From" part of the gift tag. You'll have to own up to the one you brought! Stealing is okay, (though not likely).

If you have questions (like where it is:), just ask! (There's no way I'm posting my address and phone number on the blog:) Please RSVP!

Blessings,

Linda

WOTS Chapter Secretary

Pictures of our November Meeting--Courtesy of our WOTS Photographer, Kathrese McKee

Tiff Coulter and Bethany McManus

Susan Cottrell

Doorprizes and Speaker Books/Instructional Material

Stacey Zink and Janetta Messmer

November 3rd Luncheon Meeting--Tiff Coulter!

Dear Writers On The Storm,

Our next meeting is THIS Saturday, November 3rd, from 11:00 am-1:00 pm at Lupe Tortilla's. Our guest it TIFF COULTER!!! Check out her bio below. 

Tiffany Coulter

For info on upcoming meetings, map to the restaurant, and industry news, please check our blog regularly: http://acfwwritersonthestorm.blogspot.com ;

$5/at door (funds speakers)

Pretty please RSVP. We have door prizes!

How to Get the Most Out of Training, Books, Writing Groups, Workshops and Conferences

You’ve invested your time and money to get here. How can you get the greatest benefit from attending conference? How can you get the most out of this event? What are the success habits you want to be sure to do? What is the ONE thing you need to make sure that you DON’T do? And how could that ONE thing set you up for disaster at any conference?

Bio: Tiffany Colter is the author of dozens of books, CDs, DVDs, seminars and webinars on topics ranging from writing great novels to business marketing and systems. As the owner of Writing Career Coach, Tiffany has spent more than 5 years committed to teaching writers “How to make a living at this writing thing.” She also teaches businesses, personal developers and trainers how to use words to connect with their target demographic.

Tiffany is the proud mom of 4 girls and is married to her best friend, Chris. They share an old farm house on their hobby farm with 3 large dogs, 8 outside cats, chickens, ducks, and two sheep.

Holding on to Victory
Tiffany Colter
If your business needs to connect with your customers, you need to connect with me.

Tiffany@WritingCareerCoach.com

Linda P. Kozar

WOTS Secretary

Sweet Tea Fiction

www.lindakozar.com

http://bookishdesires.blogspot.com ;

Find me at about.me/LindaKozar

Beyond The Comfort Zone Winners--October 6th Writers On The Storm Meeting

Our "Beyond The Comfort Zone" First Place Winner, Carla Hoch holds the trophy that will be handed over to the next winner of the contest. We must have a rematch sometime in 2013!!!

Our "Beyond The Comfort Zone" Second Place winner, Kim Roy will no doubt be anxious to part with the Second Place trophy, a vintage toilet ashtray! Pictured here with our contest coordinator, Nancy Kimball. 

Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference

If you've never been to one of their conferences, here's your chance! They are offering a discount if ten or more people from our group attend.

ACFW NEWS From Author Ginny Patrick Smith...

Fiction writers: Beginning on Monday, Oct 1, I will teach a 4-week online course called Creating Great Characters. The course is geared toward beginning and intermediate fiction writers, so some of you published authors might find it a bit too basic - or maybe not. :-) But if you know anyone who might benefit, please pass the information on to them.

This course is offered through American Christian Fiction Writers, THE premiere organization for anyone who writes or aspires to write Christian fiction. The course will be conducted through an email group, and will include both "lessons" to read, and exercises to perform to put the concepts into practice. The course is FREE to ACFW members! I think most of you are members, but if you’re not, membership is only $65 for the first year, and includes a lot of other benefits besides free online courses taught by some of the industries best-known authors. Check it out at acwf.com.