Coffee and Critique Has a New Policy to Save Trees

Summer time and the readings are easy at Coffee and Critique. Many of our members take some time off for vacation, so we might only have six or seven attend rather than our usually 10-12. Although, it's also the time when teachers on vacation drop in to read their works-in-progress.



This week we started a new practice to conserve paper and ink and ultimately save a tree. The one on the left split open after being struck by lightning at our country place last year.

The day before our critique group, I'm going to send out an e-mail with a roll call so readers will know how many copies to bring rather than printing the standard ten copies we usually bring.

"Great idea!" "Brilliant!" Are some of the comments uttered after our new policy was announced.

Hope you're staying busy writing, and when you get the chance, try
to save a tree.

Coffee and Critique Member Marcia Gaye's Work on Display in St. Peters

Marcia Gaye's Display at
St. Peters Cultural Arts Center

Award-winning writer Marcia Gaye, shown at left, is a prolific member of Coffee and Critique.

Her poetry, short stories, articles, and essays have appeared in a wide variety of literary and commercial publications.

Marcia recently had the opportunity to display more than a dozen books containing her work at the City of St. Peters Community and Cultural Arts Center.

You can check out Marcia's eye-catching display at the City of St. Peters Community and Cultural Arts Center. 1 St. Peters Centre Blvd.(at City Hall), St. Peters, MO 63376. Phone: 636-397-6903.Her work will be on display until the end of 2015.

The hours of operation are: 

Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sunday, Closed

Congratulations, Marcia. Way to represent!

Fall Back into the Writing Habit

Glen, Les, Bill S., Jane, Lou, Jack, Sarah, Mikey, Donna, Doyle

Hey, writers, what time is it?

Time to fall back into the writing habit.

Fall hasn't officially arrived yet--although you could fool me with last night's beautiful Harvest Moon.

Now that summer is winding down, vacations are over, and the kiddos have returned to school, more members of Coffee and Critique are showing up each week.

Today, a dozen writers showed up despite the lovely weather when they could've been outside.

In addition to the nine writers above (along with Mickey from the Rendezvous Cafe popping in for the photo with the rest of the gang), Alice, Bill, and Charles attended critique but weren't able to stay for lunch.

And, although we only had two readers, we had lots of announcements and news before we began. We also gave thorough critiques to the two brave souls who read. The atmosphere was fun as Lou restrained order by having the guys swap places and sit among the women.

A fun time was had by all!

Announcement: Meeting Change

Tomorrow we will meet in the Wine Room, rather than the banquet room, of Rendezvous.

Cover Reveal: Coffee & Critique Anthology

Here's a sneak peek at the front and back covers of the soon-to-be published Coffee & Critique anthology.

This first issue of the anthology includes short stories, essays, and interviews from more than a dozen writers, all associated with the Coffee & Critique group that meets each week at the Rendezvous Café in O'Fallon.

Check back for details about the book's official release date.

Alice Muschany's Book Signing at Barnes and Noble in St. Peters

Alice Muschany, aka Coffee and Critique's "fastest red pen west of the Mississippi," is one of four  St. Louis area authors whose stories of survival are included in Gloria Gaynor's recently released anthology,  We Will Survive: True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration, and the Power of Song.

In addition to Alice, local writers Lynn Obermoeller, Linda O'Connell, and Cathi LaMarche have stories in the anthology and will be on hand to sign copies of the book.

The event will be this coming Saturday, December 7 at Barnes & Noble, Mid Rivers Center Drive, St. Peters, MO from 1-3:00 p.m.

Just Released: BAKER MOUNTAIN by Doyle Suit

Congratulations, Doyle Suit!

At Coffee and Critique this morning, Doyle brought in copies of his recently released book, Baker Mountain, A Novel of Courage. Baker Mountain is a Cactus Country Book, published by High Hill Press.

Some time ago I received an advance reader's copy, so I got a sneak preview of the novel. I am proud to be one of the writers whose blurbs appear on the back cover of Baker's Mountain.

I was thrilled when Doyle gave me a signed copy as soon as I arrived at the meeting. My signed copy is a keeper!

Here is my back-cover blurb about Suit's YA historical fiction novel:

"Set during America's Great Depression, Baker Mountain by Doyle Suit harkens back to days of hard work and hard times. Through Suit's crisp and clear prose, vivid descriptions, and skillful painting of an era gone by, we learn the story of sixteen-year-old Gary Hill, whose life is turned upside down after the death of his mother. While Gary's father travels around the world in search of work, Gary moves in with his grandparents on their farm in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas. In the shadow of Baker Mountain, city-boy Gary learns about farming, hunting, horseback riding, bootlegging, and falling in love. Baker Mountain is an entertaining coming-of-age novel of historical fiction whose message about the importance of education, self-reliance, and courage still resonates today."

Later this week -- most likely on Friday -- I will be giving away my advance reader's copy of BAKER MOUNTAIN over on Donna's Book Pub. So pop on over to DPB on Friday to find out how you can win.

Bill Mueller Did What? Again? And a Random Quote

Yep, Coffee and Critique's own W. E. (Bill) Mueller has done it again. Won another big award, that is.

His short story "Incident at Turtle Mountain" took home first place in the Chesterfield Arts 2013 Jade G. Bute Adult Writing Contest, Prose Division. 

Winners were announced on May 6.

Entries were judged by Richard Newman, editor of River Styx.

Congratulations, Bill. You always make us proud!

Here's a quote from last week's Coffee and Critique:

 

"The fiction part is true." The statement was amended to, "The science part is true."

Coffee and Critique Kudos and Announcements

Several members of Coffee and Critique have been recognized recently for their writing accomplishments. I e-mailed our members last week and asked them to send me their Kudos, and the following writers answered. Wow! Here are the responses I received.

Please join me in congratulating them on their writing successes.

* Marcia Gaye won the 2012 Deane Wagner Poetry Award for “Apology” and was invited to read her poem at the award ceremony. Her short essay on first love, “A Relatively Innocent Love,” was published by Spruce Mountain Press in Heartscapes Anthology.

 

* Jack Zerr's poem "Grah Nade" won 10th place in the Writer's Digest annual poetry competition.

 

* Doyle Suit's poem "I'm in Good Shape for the Shape I'm In" has been published in Storyteller Magazine in September. His YA novel BAKER MOUNTAIN is scheduled to be published by High Hill Press later this year.

 

* Alice Muschany's true stories "Hats Off to Betty with Love" and "Forever and Ever" have been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul HOPE AND HEALING FOR YOUR BREAST CANCER JOURNEY, released September 2012.

 

 

Announcements

 

Speaking of Chicken Soup, today Donna Volkenannt has posted links to submission call outs from Chicken Soup for the Soul and Panera Bread on her blog Donna's Book Pub 

 

PLEASE NOTE: Beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, September 4, Coffee and Critique will start meeting half an hour earlier--at 9:30 a.m.