Notes from the July 23, 2012 Write by the Rails Meeting

Present:  Cindy Brookshire, Chip Deyerle, Leigh Giza, Linda Johnston, Marv Josaitis, Nancy Kyme, Sheila Lamb, Barbara Peacock, Yvette Soliz (new!), Dan Verner

By-Laws:  Chip Deyerle drafted a constitution and bylaws; they are attached to this e-mail.  Anyone is welcome to look them over and make changes or suggestions and direct them to Chip.

Survey for Members:  Claudia LeFeve is willing to do a survey of members so we can use your input to plan our direction.  If you have a question you think should be on the survey, contact Claudia.

Possibility of Becoming Prince William Chapter of Virginia Writers Club:  Local writers are encouraged to check out the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Virginia Writers Club, which meets Saturday, July 28 from 1 to 3 pm at the Herndon Fortnightly Library, 768 Center St, Herndon, 703-437-8855.  The speaker is Richard Krevolin, who has taught screenwriting classes at the USC School of Cinema/TV as well as UCLA Film School, Ithaca and Pepperdine.

The Virginia Writers Club is hosting “Navigating Your Writing Life 2012” on Saturday, Aug. 4 from 9:30 am to 4 pm at The Dickinson Fine and Performing Arts Center, Piedmont Virginia Community College, 501 College Drive, Charlottesville, VA.  Featuring Charles J. Shields, New York Times Bestselling Author of And So It Goes: Kurt Vonnegut: A Life and Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee. Cost is $85 and deadline to register is July 30.  Details at www.virginiawritersclub.org.

Anthology: The anthology is on track with a deadline of submissions of August 31.  Cindy Brookshire has set up a bank account.  Any deposits must be made out to Cindy Brookshire with Write by the Rails in the memo line.  Bank will NOT accept deposits made out to Write by the Rails.

Marketing Workshop:  This is how the marketing workshop is shaping up:

“How to Market Your Book”

A panel discussion with local members of Write by the Rails

Saturday, September 8

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm

Bull Run Regional Library

8051 Ashton Avenue, Manassas

703-792-4500

See Changes!

Carol Covin, Who Gets to Name Grandma

Nancy Kyme, Memory Lake

Ross Murphy, You Will Never Dance Alone, Dancing with the Devil

Dan Verner, Biscuit City blogger, master of ceremonies

Leigh Giza, Found and Lost, workshop coordinator

First in a Series of Writing and Publishing Workshops

Library conference room is being used by another group at 2 pm.  So we need to wrap up at 1:45 pm.  Tentative format:  30 minutes for intros and each panelist’s key points.  Remaining 45 minutes is Q& A.  MC will facilitate to keep conversation going.  Lisa & Dan will work with panelists by e-mail.  Panelists are encouraged to create their own handouts – marketing tips or any other great take-away.

Winery at La Grange’s 2^nd Annual Fall Arts &Crafts Festival:  This is still on for Saturday, October 13.  No fee to participate. Write by the Rails will have a presence there.  Contact Nancy Kyme at nskyme@gmail.com.

NEXT MEETING:  Monday, July 30 at Cindy Brookshire’s house, 8908 Fort Drive, Manassas.