What's New at Coffee and Critique? Coupon Clipping and Collecting Contest Certificates

Our Coffee and Critique writers have been productive this month.

Last week Alice Muschany had another Opinion Shaper column appear in the St. Charles County Suburban Journal. "The Queen of Bargains creates line of succession" is about her family's bargain-hunting and coupon-clipping activities. As usual, Alice serves up another healthy dose of humor in her family stories.

Alice is also giving away a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Hope and Healing for your Breast Cancer Journey this month over on Donna's Book Pub.

For the past three years Alice has generously donated copies of books with stories about her breast cancer survival to bring awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Stop by Donna's Book Pub by October 31 and leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of the book with Alice's warm and witty story, "Hats Off to Betty with Love."

Alice isn't the only writer who's been busy this month. 

Last weekend four members of Coffee and Critique were recognized for their writing talent during the annual Ozark Creative Writers Conference in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Doyle Suit, Marcia Gaye, Sarah Angleton, and Janet Bettag combined for a total of ten wins during the awards ceremony. Click here to see what they won.

Tune in next week for more announcements about accomplishments and events of members of Coffee and Critique, including information about Jack Zerr's book launch of Noble Deeds. 

Coffee and Critique Members Signing Books this Weekend

There's lots of exciting news for members of Coffee and Critique this weekend.

Jack Zerr and Janet Bettag, two regular members of our wonderful critique group -- and both award-winning writers -- will be among a trio of authors signing books in St. Charles on Saturday.

Jack Zerr is a former Navy Admiral, jet pilot, and Vietnam Veteran. He will be signing copies of Sundown Town Duty Station and The Ensign Locker. If you enjoy reading books about military life, Jack's books are just the ticket.

Janet Bettag will be signing copies of her book Normal, a true story about her survival after a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. Janet is an accomplished writer whose book has been described as "amazing" and "inspirational."

Jack and Janet, along with local writer Ann Hazelwood, will be signing copies of their books on Saturday, June 1, from 8 till 11 a.m. at the Parkview Gardens Florist and Greenhouse, which is located at 1925 Randolph in St. Charles.

I just visited the florist's website, and it is lovely.

How fitting that two writers like Jack and Janet will be signing books there. Janet is quite the gardener, and I remember reading a story about Jack and an incident he had mowing his lawn.

Another former member of Coffee and Critique, and an award-winning writer, will be part of a book signing on Sunday .

Sioux Roslawski is a full-time teacher who has attended C&C in the past during her summer vacations. Sioux is funny and smart and generous. She will be among a group of local writers signing copies of Not Your Mother's Book on Travel on Sunday, June 2 from 1-3 p.m. at Main Street Books in St. Charles. Other local writers participating in Sunday's event are Linda O'Connell and Sheree Nielsen.

I'm leaving to go out of town on Sunday and have a full day of activities lined up on Saturday, so I won't be able to make the signings. But if anyone in the St. Charles-St. Louis area has some free time, these are all great writers who would appreciate your support, even if it's just to stop by and say "Hi."

To all the local writers with book signings this weekend, I hope you sell lots of books -- so many that your fingers get cramped from signing them all.

I'm just kidding about the last part of that sentence; you need those fingers for writing and typing.