biblio file authors’ heart-to-heart talkmidlandauthors.com/newsletter/2_2012.pdf · february,...

February, 2012

Authors’ heart-to-heart talk:Why readers love romance

A Biblio File reminder: It’s that time ofyear when we are looking for volunteersto join the SMA board or act as one of itsofficers for the next fiscal year, whichstarts July 1. Contact President RobertLoerzel to enlist. ... Michael J. Sheehan

was appointed by Michigan’s governorlast year to the state’s Commission onServices to the Aging, and that position istaking up quite a bit of his time. But he’sstill managed to start work on a new bookbased on his weekly radio program,Words to the Wise, a call-in show aboutlanguage airing in Traverse City, Mich.,every Tuesday morning. ... When OrbertDavis’ Chicago Jazz Philharmonic makesits Symphony Center debut on May 24,2013, they’ll play the still-untitled worldpremiere of a Davis work inspired byphotos from Michael Williams andRichard Cahan’s book The Lost

Panoramas: When Chicago Changed Its

River and the Land Beyond [See NewBooks, January 2012]. ... Anastasia

Royal is editing a book of poetry aboutJapanese internment that is coming outnext year from Four Way Press. She’salso just shipped off to Simon & Schustera book she co-wrote with her sister, whois Oprah Winfrey’s veterinarian. It’s dueout in July. ... Joel Greenberg, 2004Society of Midland Authors finalist for ANatural History of the Chicago Region

(University of Chicago), was profiled Jan.29 in the (Chicago) Daily Herald for hisefforts to help build up awareness of theextinction of the passenger pigeon. He isworking on a book on the topic. ...Margery Frisbie was a front-page storyin the Jan. 20 (Chicago) Daily Herald priorto her addressing the Arlington Heights,Ill., Mayor’s 25th Annual CommunityPrayer Breakfast on Feb. 2. “Frisbie’swritings concentrate on Catholics and thehistory of Arlington Heights, where sheand her husband, Richard, moved theirgrowing family in 1954. While her cre-

Biblio File

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For a romance novel to succeed, itneeds characters and a plot thatreaders relate to, three authors said

at the Society of Midland Authors pro-gram on Valentine’s Day at the CliffDwellers club in Chicago.

Jennifer Stevenson, Sherrill Bodine

and Patricia Rosemoor of Chicago allare prolific authors. Stevenson’s romanceand fantasy novels include The Brass

Bed, Fool’s Paradise and Trash Sex

Magic. Bodine’s books include All I Want

Is You and A Black

Tie Affair as well asbooks written underthe name LeslieLynn. Rosemoor haswritten 89 books,including 50 for theHarlequin Intrigueseries. As PatriciaPinianski, she alsoteaches fiction writ-ing at ColumbiaCollege Chicago.

During the program, Bodine – who alsoplans to publish a memoir this year of herlife with her developmentally disabledmother titled In My Grandmother’s House

– stressed the importance of creatingmemorable characters to draw readersinto a book.

“If I can create characters you canrelate to ... you will follow me any-where,” she said.

“All characters are the sum of what hasbeen done to them in the past and what

they have chosen to doin return,” Bodineadded. “I think thisapplies to whatevergenre you are writingin. You have to beinvested in your char-acters.”

Bodine cited theexample of The Girl

With the Dragon

Tattoo. “That protagonist,

she is not a character who anybody hasever met before but [the author] created acharacter and you understood why she didwhat she did,” Bodine said.

Like many novelists, Bodine said, shewrites a back story for her characters – astory the reader never sees but that helpsher understand what motivates an individ-ual in the story.

“You know why she is who she is,”Bodine said. “That way you will [create]a three-dimensional character who is isnot just cardboard. She’s flesh andblood.”

How do you create a hero in a romancenovel?

“In every romance, there must be awounded hero,” Bodine said. “He musthave ... a deep psychological wound thatonly the heroine can tend, soothe andmake this man a whole man.”

It’s also possible that the heroine iswounded and that the hero is the one who

Literary Landscape

with Rick PerlsteinNew

BooksSMA

Questionnaire

PAGE 3 PAGES 4-5 PAGE11

BY THOMAS FRISBIE

Patricia

Rosemoor

Sherrill

Bodine

Turn to ROMANCE, Page 2

dentials are very strong in both fields, she’salways been a bit of a rebel, too,” the news-paper said. At the event itself, the audi-ence of 200 or 300 local officials andchamber of commerce types loved it.They laughed at the funny bits and gaveher a standing ovation at the end. ... Craig

Sautter is hiding outfrom winter on theocean in Miami Beachfor the sixth year. He’steaching two “Ethicsand Critical Thinking”classes. For the 20thyear, he and his wife,Sally, are researching,writing up profiles andaccomplishments, andnominating candidates

for the Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize inEducation, given annually at a black tieawards dinner in the New York CityLibrary. ... Jim Merriner, Dick Simpson,

John Hagedorn and Paul Green will beamong those participating in a March 2

2

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Continued from Page 1

LITERARY LICENSE, FEBRUARY 2012

Paul Green

heals her, Bodine said. Or, as happens inher book Talk of the Town, they heal eachother.

“That is actually the best story of all.They have wounds that play off oneanother,” she said.

As for her own approach to how shestarts a book?

“I see a situation,” Bodine said. “I seethe two people most deeply involved in it.It is the plotting that is difficult.”

But even when the story becomesclear, there’s lots of work to be done, shesaid.

“It is very important, in all the differentgenres you write in – research is soincredibly important,” Bodine said.

When she wrote a novel involving aheart transplant, “I had to actually go intothe operation room, which I was verylucky to do, stand in front of the anesthe-siologist and watch a quadruple bypass sothat I could get the feel of being in anoperating room,” she said.

Rosemoor said she started writing “inthe dark ages. They wouldn't let you writeromantic suspense back then becausebooksellers didn't know where to shelvethem.”

Rosemoor, who also has written underthe names Lynn Patrick, Jean Rose,Rosalind Patrick, Rosalind Griffith andPatrice Lindsay, said creating the rightconflict is important to producing a bookthat captivates readers.

She said she learned that les-son when she studied her earlierbooks to see which ones “I reallyinvested in myself personally.”

“I tried to figure out what itwas that really made them work,and it was when the back storyof the characters had them havea really terrible thing in theirbackground that they had toovercome,” she said.

“The books that I considerspecial [are those in which] I really suc-ceed in finding those intense conflicts,”she said. “It doesn't mean they don't likeeach other. ... But there is something thatis going to stand between them, that is notgoing to let them say, OK, we are goingto be together forever.

“Conflict and tension between the heroand the heroine drive the plot and keeps

the reader turning pages,” she said. “Iteach my students: Conflict in every scene... tension on every page.

“The conflicts should be believable andsubstantial enough to carry the book,” shesaid. “The emotional conflict shouldalways be in the characters’ and readers'minds. That means you can't talk about it inthe first chapter and wait till the last chapterto say, oh, by the way, we have that conflictthat we haven't worked out yet.”

In romantic suspense, “If you are in asuspense scene, you’ve got to know thatromance is there,” Rosemoor said. “Ifthere is a romantic scene, you've got toknow they are looking over their shoul-ders because someone might kill them.

“The secret of writing a good book ismaking all your little elements reflect oneanother.”

Stevenson, whose latest title is A Taste

of You: A Roller Derby Vampire Romance

(Kindle), said there are four plots in aromance: The hero’s arc, and the hero-ine’s arc – “as they develop from beingnot worth marrying into someone you

might want to fall in love with”;the arc of their relationship –“how they come together” – andthe external plot.

Stevenson, who has two post-graduate degrees in psychothera-py, says, “I view all reading asself-treatment. ... Romance fic-tion is popular because it is opti-mistic.”

And don’t worry that readingfor pleasure is frivolous,Stevenson said, offering up this

quote from Voltaire: “I have come to the uncomfortable con-

clusion that it is precisely those thingsthat I read for pleasure that influence methe most.”

The Society of Midland Authors’ 2011-

2012 programs may be heard in their

entirety at www.chicagopublicradio.org/amplified

n Romance

2012, Society of Midland AuthorsP.O. Box 10419, Chicago IL 60610

Editor: Thomas [email protected]

Copy editor: Steve Huntley

www.midlandauthors.com

Follow the Society on

Twitter@midlandauthors

Society of Midland Authors memberscan now pay their membership duesand make donations on our websitewith PayPal. To make a donation, visitour home page at www.midlandau-thors.com and click on the "Donate"button in the upper right corner.

Jennifer

Stevenson

Romance fiction is

popular because it is

optimistic.

”“

Turn to Page 4


3LITERARY LICENSE, FEBRUARY 2012

Historian Rick Perlstein will discusshis upcoming book The Invisible Bridge:

The 1970s and the Rise of Ronald Reagan

at the March 13 Society of MidlandAuthors program. Perlstein is the authorof the acclaimed books Before the Storm:

Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of

the American Consensus and Nixonland:

The Rise of a President and the

Fracturing of America. Here’s what Perlstein tells Literary

License about his writing:

Literary License: You’re writing a

book about Reagan and have pub-

lished one about Goldwater. Did

Goldwater’s defeat in some aspect pave

the way for Reagan’s victory?

Rick Perlstein: It was absolutely cru-cial. First, Goldwater’s supporters tookover the nominating structure of theRepublican Party, pushing aside the mod-erate liberals who’dcontrolled nominationspreviously.

Second, his cam-paign began creating asolid organizationalinfrastructure for theconservative move-ment – that infrastruc-ture still exists today.

Finally, Reagan himself received hisfirst national political exposure with a tel-evision speech the week before the 1964election that had many conservatives call-ing Reagan presidential timber even then.David Broder called it the most powerfuldebut in American politics since WilliamJennings Bryan's “Cross of Gold” speech.Goldwater has been commonly describedas conservatism’s John the Baptist.Which, of course, makes Reagan conser-vatism’s Jesus Christ, and to listen to theRepublican presidential candidates thisyear talk about him, they almost seem toapproach that level of sacrilege!

Literary License: Many people learned

the wrong lesson from the 1964 election –

that the right wing of the Republican

party was finished. Do you see any ways

we may be making similar wrong assump-

tions about where today's political trends

are headed?

Rick Perlstein: I’m sure we are. Wealways do. I like any political outcomethat humiliates the confident predictionsof pundits – which may be why I was sodrawn to the 1964 election in the firstplace – because I think the most impor-tant lesson history can teach us is humili-

ty in the face of humancomplexity and unpre-dictability.

I once wrote a coverarticle for the Nationcalled “Pundits Predictthe Future Are AlwaysWrong.” The title had adouble meaning: theyare wrong empirically,

over and over and over (it wasn’t threeyears ago, after all, when Obama's victoryhad pundits forecasting the end of conser-vatism as a force in American politicallife, just as in 1964). And they are wrongmorally, precisely because their glib con-fidence that the future is easily predicteddiminishes possibilities for a richer under-standing of the present.

Literary License: You are often seen as

a left-leaning writer. Is that an advantage

or disadvantage in writing about conser-

vative politics?

Rick Perlstein: “A liberal is someonewho can’t take his own side in an argu-ment”: remember that old joke? If it’s anadvantage, it’s because as a liberal I'm

temperamentally disposed to try toempathize with people who think differ-ently than me.

Literary License: How much time to

you devote to researching your books?

Rick Perlstein: In terms of portion ofthe workday, my work on my books (asopposed to writing articles and lecturing)probably takes up about a third of mytime. Longitudinally, a good six yearspassed in preparing the manuscript forNixonland. Before the Storm took threeyears. This one will be somewhere inbetween. I would say about half of mytime is devoted to research, and half towriting, but that's a tough distinction tomake because the two tend to meld intoone another – at least, I think, whenyou're doing it right.

Literary License: Goldwater, Nixon

and now Reagan – you’ve written three

books about Republican presidents. Any

plans to write about a Democrat who was

in the White House?

Rick Perlstein: Well, all my books alsocover the Democrats in the White Houseduring the time periods they cover prettyextensively – JFK, LBJ, and with thisnext one, Jimmy Carter. But focusing abook on a Democrat? For some reasonthat just doesn't interest me. “Why?” maybe a question for my shrink.

Literary

Landscape

RickPerlstein

March 13, 2012, program

Cliff Dwellers

200 S. Michigan Avenue

22nd floor

6 p.m. - Social Hour

7 p.m. - Program

Free - donations accepted

Writing about the right: A historian’s view

I like any political

outcome that humiliates

the confident predictions

of pundits because I think

the most important lesson

history can teach us is

humility in the face of

human complexity and

unpredictability.

”

“

“In Tours, we found a cheap hotel and explored. I recalled at Tours, Charles Martel had defeated the Moors and saved Europe for Christendom ...but we were surprised how many monuments Tours had to World War I.” – When the Postwar World Was New, Alzina Stone Dale

Dan Dinello recently published a shortebook called Finding Fela: My Strange

Journey to Meet the Afrobeat King.

It’s a personal mem-oir of his 1983 trip toLagos, Nigeria, tomeet the legendaryAfrican musician andpolitical rebel FelaKuti. Hero of theoppressed, Fela is thefocus of the recentaward-winningBroadway musical

“Fela!” that is now touring the UnitedStates.

An excerpt from Dan’s book: “On myinitial night in Lagos, my companionstake me to a restaurant and want me to eatchopped goat brains, but I beg off and fail

a cultural bonding test. We leave and roardown a dusty road at 120 miles per hour.There are no speed limits, no traffic lawsof any kind. Then, suddenly, makeshiftroadblocks appear, manned by youngboys with big machine guns. They waveflashlights, signaling cars to stop, check-ing for armed robbers and non-Nigerians.The government has just expelled a mil-lion immigrants, giving them two weeksto get out or face jail or worse. Scowlingpolice check my papers and let us pass.My later encounters with police are lessfortunate.”

The book is available in all e-book for-mats on Smashwords.com as well asAmazon.com (Kindle), BarnesandNoble(Nook), and the iTunes store (iPad,iPhone, etc.).

4

symposium on “Changing PoliticalCulture” at at the Union League Club, 65W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago. ... The

Society of Midland Authors now has aWikipedia entry. Check it out. ... Linda

Nemec Foster's poetry has been nomi-nated for a Pushcart Prize (her 20th nomi-nation since 1984). Her poem, “TheWhite Birch,” was recently published inthe Fall 2011 issue of the ConnecticutReview, and the journal’s editorial staffnominated the poem for the prestigiousanthology. Her latest book of poems,Talking Diamonds (New Issues Press),was the subject of a review in the Fall,2011 issue of the Los Angeles Review.The book was described as “quiet, ele-gant and wise.” Talking Diamonds isFoster’s ninth poetry collection and was afinalist for ForeWord Magazine’s Book ofthe Year in 2010. ... Carol Fisher Saller

writes for Lingua Franca, the Chronicleof Higher Education’s blog on language .... Feb. 3 was a significant day this yearfor Midland authors for two reasons.First, Feb. 3 is Bubble Gum Day. Frenchdocumentary filmmakers traveled fromParis to Chicago last month to interviewelementary school students breakingschool rules by chewing gum in school inhonor of Bubble Gum Day, which wasfounded in 2006 by Ruth Spiro. Thedocumentary is titled “Stuck on Chew”and will be released this spring onFrance’s ARTÉ Network. ... Also on Feb.3, a poem, “Repartee,” from Ingrid

Wendt’s new book, Evensong (See NewBooks, right), was chosen for Verse Daily(www.versedaily.com). Ingrid writes, “It'sfunny, this poem is quite different frommost of the others in Evensong, and I’venever read it publicly at readings. MaybeI should rethink that! It was certainly funto write!” Ingrid also did a reading thismonth of poet William Stafford’s work atBloomsbury Books in Oregon. ... Afterreturning from Africa, Dan Dinello (SeeNew Books, right) made a music videofor Fela called “Army Arrangement.” Thefilm will be included in a “Retire-Spective: 33 Years in 45 Minutes” thatDan will present at 6 p.m. on March 22 at

Biblio File


New Books

LITERARY LICENSE, FEBRUARY 2012

Turn to Page 5 Turn to Page 5

Lori Andrews’ new book (Free Press,January 10, 2012) “ventures far beyondthe social networks of her subtitle to con-sider the ramifications of search engines,data mining, targeted “behavioral” adver-tising and other technologies,” the NewYork Times Book Review wrote on Jan.29. “Likewise, she covers a range ofissues beyond privacy, including discrim-ination in the work-place and free speechin schools.

“Some of her ques-tions are challengingand potentially explo-sive.”

Kirkus Reviewscalled the book,“authoritative, impor-tant reading for policy-makers and an unnerving reminder thatanything you post can and will be usedagainst you.”

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE

AND I SAW WHAT YOU DID:SOCIAL NETWORKS AND

THE DEATH OF PRIVACYEvensong (Truman State University

Press, October, 2011) is Ingrid Wendt's

fifth full-length collection of poems. Maxine Kumin, poet laureate of New

Hampshire from 1989 to 1994, wrote,“These poems, full of feeling, reward thereader with their musicality and wit.Wendt seems equally at home in formand free verse. There's a well-wroughtvillanelle, a poem in unrhymed coupletsthat turns on a perfect metaphor, aretelling in skilled sestets of the old storyof the fisherman's wife. The first and lastpoems are capstones of a rich collection.”

Poet John Daniel wrote, “In this collec-tion Ingrid Wendt sounds the depths ofeveryday experience and sings the mys-teries she finds stirring there, bearing wit-ness to the things that matter most –love, spirit, memory, mortality, the acheand wonder of being alive.

“The poems of Evensong are the truetestaments of an ongoing lifetime of culti-vated attention. They are ambitious in thehighest sense.”

EVENSONG

FINDING FELA:MY STRANGE JOURNEY TO MEET THE AFROBEAT KING

Lori Andrews

Dan Dinello


New Books

Continued from Page 4 Continued from Page 4

Turn to Page 6

Robin Marvel, Reshaping Reality:

Creating Your Life! encourages readers toshake their spirits awake from anythingthat is limiting them from your potential,propelling them into a life of purpose andmeaning.

“This book is written from experience,”Marvel said. “I have used all the exercis-es in this book to break out of learnedcycles and motivate myself to live a lifeof purpose.”

RESHAPING REALITY:CREATING YOUR LIFE!

Finding Our Way Home (RandomHouse, March 13, 2012) is Charlene

Ann Baumbich’s story of secondchances and lavish grace.

When principal ballerina Sasha Davissuffers a career-ending injury at age 38,she leaves her Boston-based dance com-pany and retreats to the home of heryouth in Minnesota.

Concluding she can't recover alone,Sasha reluctantly hires a temporary live-in aide.

Enter the überca-pable 19-year-oldEvelyn Burt.

Evelyn soon discov-ers Sasha needs to healmore than bones.Slowly, as the woundsbegin to mend and thetables tilt, the twowomen form anunlikely alliance anddiscover the astound-ing power of even the smallest act donein the name of love

Allie Pleiter, author of Yukon Wedding

and Bluegrass Blessings, called the book,“Charming, surprising, familiar, and justdownright wonderful.”

Susan Elizabeth Phillips, New YorkTimes best-selling author of Call Me

Irresistible wrote, “Fans of Jan Karonwill adore Charlene Baumbich’s warmth,wisdom, and inspiration.”

FINDING OUR WAY HOME

Barbara Gregorich has written booksfor children and books for adults foryears. And years. But never did she thinkshe would write for children and foradults in the very same book.

That has happened, serendipitously,with Jack and Larry: Jack Graney and

Larry, the Cleveland Baseball Dog, anonfiction story told in free verse, forages 10-Adult.

This the tale of a woe-begone team(102 losses, 48 games out of first place)that doggedly pursued the pennant: astory of devotion, commitment, and per-sistence, illustrating what it means to bemajor league.

JACK AND LARRY: JACK GRANEY AND LARRY,THE CLEVELAND

BASEBALL DOG

What would you do if you were sleep-ing with the enemy? In Question of Trust

(Mira: Harlequin, Feb. 21, 2012), IzzyMcNeil is back in action and forced towalk the line between attorney and loverafter her boyfriend, Theo, is arrested.When their neighbor is found dead, Izzymust determine if the man she shares her

bed with is a criminalor merely a pawn in amuch larger scheme.

Izzy also can't forgethow Theo was inexpli-cably turned down fora mortgage. Or hisrecent moody silences.Or how a strangerwarned her that Theoneeds to “acceptresponsibility.” Only

Izzy can decide whether trusting Theowill keep her safe.

Mystery Gazette: “The latest magnifi-cent McNeil legal thriller. ... This is a ter-rific twisting tale.”

QUESTION OF TRUST

Laura Caldwell

Charlene Ann

Baumbich

Film Row Cinema, Columbia College,1104 S. Wabash, Chicago, eighth floor. ...Joey Korom’s new book, tentativelytitled Skyscrapers of the Gilded Age (Mc-Farland), is due out in the fall. Also, Joeywas quoted in a Jan.26 Chicago Sun-Timeseditorial on Chicagoarchitecture. ... Janet

Souter is working ona new novel based onher Swedish grand-mother, who camethrough Ellis Islandwhen she was 16 with$20 pinned inside herclothes. ... Paul McComas was sched-uled to be on a panel at this year’s annualconference and bookfair Feb. 29-March 3of the Association of Writers & WritingPrograms at the Palmer House Hilton inChicago. The panel, “Present at theCreation: The Chicago Poetry Revolutionof the 1980s and ’90s,” also was toinclude Tim W. Brown, Luis J.Rodriguez, Sharon Mesmer and KurtHeintz. The panel members, who came ofage in the Chicago poetry scene of the1980s and ’90s, were to discuss theexplosion of spoken-word poetry and per-formance in the city during those decadesand its national and international impacton the presentation of poetry to popularaudiences. Paul writes to say, “As a fic-tion writer, I was always something of anodd duck within the Chicago spoken-word poetry world, which I entered in1986 at age 24; I gravitated more towardstorytelling, in-character monologues andtext-driven performance-art than towardverse. Still, I was accepted into ‘thescene.’ And having the opportunity tobring my brand-new solo and two-charac-ter narrative works to live audiences atthe Uptown Poetry Slam, N.A.M.E.Gallery, Lower Links, and other venuesproved instrumental in my developmentas both a writer and a performer. I’mdelighted to be able to reflect back onthat exciting period with some of my oldcohorts, a full quarter-century later.”Among the featured presenters scheduled

Biblio File

Paul McComas

6 LITERARY LICENSE, FEBRUARY 2012

The Society of Midland Authors' constitution

and bylaws haven't been revised since 1997.

After reviewing the bylaws, the Board of

Directors is recommending several changes.

SMA members can vote on the proposed

changes at the Society's annual meeting, which

will be our awards banquet on May 8, 2012, at

the Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza. Here are

the proposed amendments, with deletions and

additions marked. Deletions are in italic.

Additions are in bold.— Robert Loerzel, President

Article I: NameThe name of this association shall be The

Society of Midland Authors. Eligible for mem-bership are qualified persons identified withthe states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska,North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota andWisconsin through birth or residence.

Article II: ObjectsThe objects of the Society are: (1) creation

of a closer association among writers of theMiddle West Midwest, (2) stimulation of cre-ative literary effort, (3) maintenance of a col-

lection of members' works, and (4) (3) encour-agement of an interest in reading and literatureby cooperation with other educational and cul-tural agencies.

To this end, meetings shall be held regularlyto present speakers on literary subjects. Moneyawards and citations of merit may also begiven for outstanding books and services to lit-erature in the Middle West. These awards shallnormally be given at the annual meeting.

Article III: Directors and Officers The officers of the Society shall be a

President, a Vice President, a CorrespondingSecretary, a Membership Secretary, aRecording Secretary, and a Treasurer, and a

Webmaster. The President must be a fullmember of the Society. Associate Members ofthe Society may be elected to any of the otheroffices or as a director, but no more than twen-ty percent of the Board membership shall befrom the Associate Member category at onetime. Associate Members serving on the Boardshall have a full vote on matters before theBoard during their tenure.

The Board of Directors shall be composedof the six officers, the immediate PastPresident, and nine other directors electedfrom the membership. The Board of Directorsshall fill vacancies in the Board until the nextelection and shall appoint officers to fillvacancies until the next election. It shall alsoapprove appointments to committees made bythe President. If a Director or Officer fails to

attend four or more board meetings during

a one-year period, the Board may vote to

declare the position vacant.

Article IV: Duties of OfficersThe President shall preside at meetings of

the Society and of the Board of Directors. Heor she shall call meetings, appoint committeesand their chairpersons, subject to approval bythe Board of Directors, and shall be responsi-ble for the general management and fulfill-ment of the stated purposes of the Society.

The Vice President shall perform the dutiesof the President upon the President's absenceor request. The Vice President shall also head

at least one important committee. The Vice

President customarily shall run for

President following the President's term.

The Corresponding Secretary shall havecharge of all publications of the Society and of

its general correspondence, maintain liaison

with the library of the University of Illinois at

Chicago (see Article XI), and assist other offi-cers with respect to the communications of theSociety.

The Membership Secretary shall have chargeof keeping the membership roster up to date,seeking qualified new members, and process-ing their applications.

The Recording Secretary shall keep minutesof all meetings of the Society and the Board ofDirectors and have custody of all other non-

financial records.The Treasurer shall have custody of all

funds and financial records of the Society,shall collect program admissions and otherfunds owed the Society and shall cooperatewith the Membership Secretary to bill mem-bers annually for dues and report delinquentmembers for further action or removal frommembership lists. The Treasurer shall also paybills of the Society and make other disburse-ments as approved by the Board of Directors.The Treasurer shall serve as RegisteredRepresentative of the Society under the lawsof Illinois governing non-profit corporations.The Webmaster shall maintain the Society's

website and report on it to the Board of

Directors.

At the end of their term of service each offi-cer and committee chairperson shall submit to

the President a written report to the President

on of the year's activities for the respectiveoffice or committee.

Former Presidents of the Society who arestill members in good standing will remainAdvisory Directors after their year asImmediate Past President. Advisory Directorsshall be notified of all Directors' meetings andshall have the right to participate in debate butnot to vote.

Article V: Duties of the Board of DirectorsFinal responsibility for management of the

Society shall be vested in the Board of Direct-ors. Five directors shall constitute a quorum.

Proposed bylaws revisions

for the conference were Jaimy Gordon,

Audrey Niffenegger and Aleksandar

Hemon. ... Robert Collins writes to sayhe’s been putting up short stories asebooks for sale at Amazon and throughSmashwords [See “Same old story? Notwith new technology here to help,”

Literary License,January, 2011]. “Up tonow, all have beenpreviously publishedin magazines, but Iwill be putting upsome unpublishedshorts soon,” Robertwrites. “I’m doing twoper month. If a singlestory isn’t at least

3,000 words, I'll add it to one or more asa short collection. All these sell for 99cents. I know of a few [other] authorswho are doing this, too.” Robert also hasa new nonfiction essay collection out,Pieces of Kansas History. ... Jonathan

Eig is one of two authors teaching a vol-untary workshop at the Chicago PoliceAcademy for Chicago police officers whowish to tell their own stories. “Myimpression is they’re dealing with power-ful themes and terrific story lines, butnailing down the essence of what theywant to say is going to take much timeand many rewrites,” Eig told the NewYork Times on Feb. 8. “This is like psy-chotherapy, and the first impulse for theseand other writers is to resist.” ... Here’s afeeling all authors are familiar with:Kristina Riggle, having just deleted1,200 freshly written words that turnedout to be boring, tweeted, “Too bad Idon't get the satisfaction of ripping thoseunsatisfactory pages out of the typewritercarriage and balling them up furiously.”On the plus side, her new novel,Keepsake, is due out June 26 fromWilliam Morrow Paperbacks. ... Joseph

Epstein was quoted in a Feb. 5 New YorkTimes op-ed on Charles Dickens andlawyers. ... Fox 2000 has optioned The

Fault in Our Stars [See January 2012Literary License] by John Green. As ofmid-February, the book had been No. 1on the New York Times best-seller list

Biblio FileContinued from Page 5

Turn to BY-LAWS, Page 7Turn to Page 7

Robert Collins


n By-lawsAll directors except the Immediate Past

President shall serve three years or until a suc-cessor is elected.

Standing committees of the Board, consisting

of one or more members, shall be Awards,

Electronic Communications, Programs,

Publications, and Public Relations. The chairs

of these committees may vote on matters that

come before the Board during their terms of

service. Some of the duties of officers described

above may be delegated to committees with the

consent of the Board when the volume of work

warrants it. The President may appoint com-

mittees to handle specific topics.

Article VI: MeetingsThe annual meeting of the Society shall be

held at a time and place set by the Board ofDirectors. Special meetings may be called bythe Board of Directors or by petition of twen-ty-five members of the Society.

Article VII: ElectionsElection of three directors and all officers

shall take place annually. At least a monthbefore the annual meeting the Board ofDirectors shall appoint a Nominating Committee

which shall prepare a ticket of officers anddirectors. At the request of fifteen or more mem-bers, an independent ticket may be offered. If

there is only one ticket of candidates, the

Board may ask all members by mail if the

ticket should be adopted. One member’s

request shall be sufficient to require an elec-

tion. If there is no objection, the new ticket is

considered elected. At least two weeks beforean the election, the Corresponding Secretary

Board shall send appropriate ballots to mem-bers, who may vote by mail.

Article VIII: MembershipAny writer who meets the conditions set

forth in Article I is eligible for RegularMembership in the Society if he or she is theauthor or co-author of a book demonstratingliterary style and published by a recognizedpublisher, or the author of a published or pro-fessionally produced play.Other persons having some connection withliterature, such as librarians, teachers, publish-ers and editors, are eligible for AssociateMembership, without voting rights.

Any member of the Society may propose thename of a candidate for membership. This nom-ination shall be in writing and shall give thename, address, and qualifications that recom-mend the candidate for membership. The spon-sor and a co-sponsor, both members of theSociety, shall sign the recommendation andsend it to the Membership Secretary for consid-eration by the Board of Directors. Membershipinvitations shall be extended after favorableaction by a majority of the Board of Directors. Ifthe candidate is elected, the Membership

Secretary shall notify him or her. Authors whoreceive awards from the Society shall automat-ically be offered a free one-year membership.

Speakers at Society programs, including

authors and others who are eligible for

Associate Membership, shall automatically

be offered a free one-year membership.

At the discretion of the Board of Directors,long-time members who are no longer activemay become Emeritus Members, without vot-ing rights.

Article IX: DuesAnnual dues or any special assessments shallbe set by the Board of Directors. New mem-bers who join between the annual meeting andJuly 1 shall have their dues credited to theyear beginning July 1.Award winners who become members underArticle VIII shall pay no dues for the year fol-lowing the date of their award.

Speakers at programs who become mem-

bers under Article VIII shall pay no dues for

the year following the date of their program.

Dues for Emeritus Members shall be one-

half the regular dues, to cover the cost of

mailing newsletters and announcements.

Article X: Local ChaptersLocal chapters of the Society may be organ-

ized anywhere in the Society's territory, withthe approval of the Board of Directors, outsidea fifty-mile radius of Chicago, on petition offive or more members. Their rules shall notconflict with this Constitution.

Article XI: Library

The Society maintains a collection of books

by its present and former members in the library

of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Each

new member is asked to contribute to the collec-

tion a representative copy of his or her work.

Article XII: Article XI: AmendmentsThis Constitution may be amended at any annu-al meeting or at a special meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present at the meet-ing. A meeting for this purpose may be calledby the Board of Directors or the written requestof twenty-five members. A copy of the pro-posed amendment or amendments shall be sent,at least thirty days before the meeting, to eachmember of the Society by the CorrespondingSecretary. The Constitution may also be amend-ed by a ballot mailed to all members.

Article XIII: Article XII: DissolutionIn the event of the dissolution of this Society,which shall require approval by two-thirds ofthe membership responding to a mailed ballotwithin twenty days of mailing, assets of theSociety shall become the property of educa-tional or cultural organizations whose purposeis in harmony with that of this Society. Choiceof the organization or organizations shall bemade by the Board of Directors.



Turn to Page 8

four weeks in a row for Children’sChapter Books. ... Steve Edwards’ newshow on WBEZ is “The Afternoon Shiftwith Steve Edwards,” 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. onweekdays. ... Patricia Rosemoor’s 53rdbook with Intrigue comes out in April(she’s written 89 overall). She alsorecently signed a contract with the newcompany Entangled Publishing to writeromantic suspense. ... Scott Turow lastmonth visited the University of Missouriin Columbia, Mo., through the JohnWilliam Proctor Distinguished AuthorReading program. ... Libby Fischer

Hellmann has new a website. ... ScottRussell Sanders, 2007 SMA AdultNonfiction finalist for A Private History

of Awe, has a new book out: Earth Works:

Selected Essays by Scott R. Sanders

(Indiana University Press, Jan. 16, 2012).... Who was that amazing person the Feb.12 Chicago Sun-Times said “exercises 30minutes a day, playsfive separate Scrabblegames on Facebookeach night and takes aweekly class onParisian-themedbooks and movies”?The SMA’s own“Super Ager” Shirley

Haas, of course. Thenewspaper wrote:“Haas isn’t wasting amoment of her free time. Also a widow,mother and grandmother, she spends timeeach week at the Center for Life andLearning in Streeterville, run by theFourth Presbyterian Church. There, sheparticipates in exercise and memoir writ-ing classes, as well as a weekly ‘culturalconversation’ led by a University ofChicago professor where she reads anddiscusses Hemingway and watchesFrench New Wave cinema. Twice a week,she participates in water aerobics with her‘pool pals’ at Fitness Formula Club, oftenmeeting classmates for lunch on dry land.Haas has subscriptions to two theatercompanies and the symphony. She has abachelor’s degree from the University ofChicago, a master’s from Northern

Biblio File

Shirley Haas


Illinois University and spent her careerwriting for newspapers or working inpublic relations. Every summer, she vaca-tions at her Canadian summer home,which lacks running water and electricity.She has to take a boat to get there.” One

of her secrets? “I likemartinis.” ... Lynn

Voedisch’s The God’s

Wife made the topKindle 100. ...Jennifer Stevenson

has just signed a four-book contract with anebook publisher for aparanormal romancetrilogy, plus a novellaabout slacker sex

demons. ... You might be surprised by theexistence of the character of übercapable19-year-old Evelyn Burt in Charlene

Ann Baumbich’s upcoming new book,Finding Our Way Home (See New Books,Page 5). If so, join the club. Charlenesays she when started writing the story,she didn't see this character coming,either. ... Here’s the latest from SMABoard Member Rosina Neginsky:Rosina has published the bookSymbolism, Its Origins and Its

Consequences (Cambridge ScholarsPublishing, 2011) based on a 2009 con-ference she organized at Allerton Park,the University of Illinois Conference and

Biblio File


Turn to Page 10

A bait-and-switch is no wayto hook enthusiastic readers

Iattended a meeting at one of the pro-fessional associations I belong to, andI couldn't believe what I saw: a speak-

er who pulled a bait-and-switch. He saidthat he was going to talk about a certaintopic but ended up using the speakingopportunity to sell his services. I was sur-prised that he ended up being the mainspeaker, since he was chosen out of about100 people who submitted applications.

I want to share a few tips for not beinglike that speaker, who was so blatantlyself-serving:

Deliver what you promise. If anorganization or other professional groupasks what you are going to speak about,then put it in writing and be willing tosubmit an outline if they ask for one.Then stick to theplan.

Respect your

audience. The speak-er I saw probablyassumed we werenaïve or ignorant. Hedefinitely underesti-mated us, so his pres-entation seemed con-descending and evenannoying, since we were there to gethelpful information, not a sales pitch.Remember that even just one search onthe Internet can yield vast amounts ofinformation, and in our information-satu-rated culture, the average person is well-informed.

Be accountable. Talk to someone inyour company or another person you trustabout your speech, and show him or heryour outline. You can also practice yourspeech in front of others so that you canget constructive feedback. That way, youwon't sound like a salesperson.

&&&

If you want to take a break from addic-tive websites, use SelfControl for Macsand Cold Turkey for PCs.

What are they?Free applications that don't allow you to

go to time-killing websites.How do people use them?Download SelfControl or Cold Turkey

to block access to websites that youchoose for an amount of time that you

decide. Just type theURL and set theclock, and the block-ing will begin. If youtry to go to the web-sites, you will get anerror message.

SelfControl is forMacs and can blockwebsites and youremail accounts.

Cold Turkey is for PCs and can blockwebsites and games. It works on allbrowsers at once. It even lets you post aFacebook status update before the clockstarts ticking.

For both applications, once you choosethe amount of time that you want to beblocked, you cannot cancel or shorten it,even if you turn off your computer. Youmust wait until time is up before you canindulge again.

How can you use them?Have a project to finish? A book or arti-

cle to write? A deadline to make? Usethese applications, and you'll be able tofocus. Many people have found them veryuseful for their productivity.

If you've used either one, let Tom knowat [email protected]

E-mail Tom Ciesielka at [email protected] or

call (312) 422-1333.

If you want to take

a break from addictive

websites, use

SelfControl for Macs

and Cold Turkey for

PCs.”

“

Literary

Loudspeaker

TomCiesielka

Lynn Voedisch

The Hutchinson Public Library is plan-ning a Cow Creek Book Festival forSaturday, March 31, from 9 a.m. to 6p.m. The plan is to have authors speak,and the library will be selling books fromparticipating authors.

Town Crier Books in Emporia alwayshas its Author Extravaganza on aSaturday in June. They invite as manyKansas authors as they can for a two-hourperiod. They've had as many as 50authors there.

– Robert Collins

Kansas Report


Here’s to a huge ‘Holiday’ night

The tale of the traveling SMAAwards takes another turn with thisyear's decision to hold the event at

the Holiday Inn, Chicago Mart Plaza.We know. ... you've enjoyed the view

in the past from the Cliff Dwellers onMichigan Avenue, but that venue is nolonger available. We've cut a swaththrough Chicago's various pomp-and-cer-emony hotels. But this year we're goinghuge with our choice of a totally new buthighly regarded location... the LaSalle Room ofthe Holiday Inn ChicagoMart Plaza (as you mighthave guessed, next to theMerchandise Mart) at350 North Orleans. Andget this: Parking is underthe hotel and only $10!

So what’s the big deal with the AwardsDinner?

Oh well, you'll know if you've everbeen there. If you haven't, just ask one ofthe players. It's the event that bringsmembers together to laugh, to chat, to getcaught up.

Throughout the year you may see vari-ous authers, at the monthly metings, atPrinter’s Row or at staged programs hereand there. But only at the awards dinner

do you see so many much-missed friendsand acquaintances. It's like an author'sversion of a family reunion ... (withoutthe drama!). To some, it's the only time ofyear when you really feel the connection.

So do yourself a favor ... show up andenjoy this celebration. You'll bask in thewarmth and you’ll get a glow hearingfrom winners of the year who have spunto the summit.

Their stories are alwaysan inspiration.

And ... we realize thisis not a motive, but just abit of a bonus: You'll havea chance to take home atable decoration, in theform of a prize book fromthis year's winning authors.

May 8 is not that faraway. So while you're energized, howabout making your reservation right now(the form is above) to be sure you'rebooked for an SMA night that belongs onthe best-seller list!

We don’t yet know who the winningauthors will be, but we can unveil theidentify of the emcee: Jay Bonansinga, ananimated, entertaining person.

Here’s (some of) what it says about Jayon his website:

“The Chicago Tribune says, ‘JayBonansinga has quickly and firmly estab-lished himself as one of the most imagi-native writers of thrillers. His twistingnarratives, with their in-your-faceglimpses of violence, are set in an unsta-ble, almost psychotic universe that makesthe work of many of his contemporarieslook rather tame.’

“His novels, which include Perfect

Victim (2008), Shattered (2007), Twisted

(2006), and Frozen (2005), have beentranslated into nine different languages.His 2004 nonfiction debut The Sinking of

the Eastland was a Chicago Reader‘Critics Choice Book’ as well as the recip-ient of a Superior Achievement Awardfrom the Illinois State Historical Society.His debut novel The Black Mariah was afinalist for a Bram Stoker award, and hisnumerous short tales and articles havebeen published in such magazines as TheWriter, Amazing Stories, Grue, Flesh &Blood, Outre and Cemetery Dance, aswell as a number of anthologies.’

This all sounds like a can’t-miss eventto me, and it should to you, too. So getout your $75 check and make your reser-vation. For the first time, you can evenpay via PayPal! (It’s $76, which includesa $1 service fee).

Society of Midland Authors

Annual Dinner Early Registration Form

The Society of Midland Authors annualawards banquet will be held May 8 in theLaSalle Room at the Holiday Inn ChicagoMart Plaza, 350 N. Orleans, Chicago.

The reception with a cash bar will start at 6p.m. Dinner will begin at 7 p.m.

Number of ChickenVesuvio dinners at $75 each.

Number of vegetarian(risotto with grilled aspara-gus) dinners at $75 each.

Name:

Please clip above form and mail to: Dinner Reservation, Society of Midland Authors, P.O. Box 10419, Chicago IL 60610You may also download a similar form at our website, www.midlandauthors.com

Literary

Laurels

StellaPevsner

Jeffrey Zaslow, an enthusiastic mem-ber of the Society of Midland Authors anda best-selling author who inspired readerswith his empathic descriptions of life’ssignificant moments, died at age 53 Feb.10 after a car crash in northern Michigan.

As he was driving home from a booksigning in Petoskey, Mich., Mr. Zaslowskidded in the snow on a highway nearGaylord, Mich., into the path of a truck.

Mr. Zaslow was author or co-author ofeight books, three of them bestsellers. The

Girls from Ames was the story of a 40-year friendship among 10 women. The

Last Lecture was about Randy Pausch, aCarnegie Mellon Universitycomputer-science professorwho in 2007 was diagnosedwith pancreatic cancer andgiven only a few months tolive. In the book, which was aNew York Times best-sellerfor 112 weeks, Pausch talkedabout achieving childhooddreams.

Mr. Zaslow collaboratedwith Arizona Rep. GabrielleGiffords and her husband, astronaut MarkKelly, on their memoir, Gabby: A Story of

Courage and Hope. He was co-authorwith airline captain Chesley Sullenbergerof Highest Duty, about Sullenberger, whosafely landed a damaged jetliner in theHudson River in New York.

His most recent book was The Magic

Room: A Story About the Love We Wish

for Our Daughters (Gotham Books,2012), about a Fowler, Mich., small-townbridal shop with a “magic room” that hassoft church lighting, a circular pedestaland mirrors that make lifelong dreamscome true.

“I found a place with an awful lot ofemotion. And I have been writing bookswith emotion for all these years so I wasjust grateful to find this place,” he told aninterviewer.

His earlier books were Take It from Us:

Advice from 262 Celebrities on

Everything That Matters – To Them and

to You (1994); Talk of Fame (1997), andTell Me All About It: A Personal Look at

the Advice Business by the Man Who

Replaced Ann Landers (1990). His final two books came out within a

short time of each other, leading Mr.Zaslow to email: “I know, it seems nuts tohave two books so close together. I soundlike some deranged typist! But the bookshad different publishers, the release datesended up close together, so here we are.”

Last year, he made 206 book-relatedappearances.

Mr. Zaslow, a Wall Street Journalwriter, also was an advice columnist atthe Chicago Sun-Times for 14 years afterhe won a contest to succeed Ann Landers.Like his books, his Wall Street Journalcolumn, “Moving On,” focused on lifetransitions. Among his topics were thedistress of losing a car in the DisneyWorld parking lot, the power of fathers'

lunchbox letters to their daughters,and the sadness of watching abeloved childhood stadium beingdemolished.

He was twice named best colum-nist by the National Society ofNewspaper Columnists, and in2000 he received its Will RogersHumanitarian Award.

“I write about ‘matters of theheart’ for people of all ages,” Mr.Zaslow said during an appearance

at the Marple (Del.) Public Library in2010, according to the Delaware CountyNews Network website.

During the period in his career when hewrote the advice column, Mr. Zaslowreceived many letters from people whowere lonely – which became the inspira-tion for the Zazz Bash, an annual party atChicago’s Navy Pier. Thousands attended.

“He got these letters from lonely peopleand, being Jeff, he thought he should dosomething. So he orchestrated this enor-mous party for them,” author and newspa-per columnist Neil Steinberg told the LosAngeles Times.

In Detroit, 1,500 mourners gatheredFeb. 13 at Congregation Shaarey Zedekfor his funeral, including Sullenbergerand eight of the 10 women from The

Girls from Ames.Mr. Zaslow is survived by his wife,

Sherry Margolis, a TV news anchor inDetroit, three daughters, Jordan, 22; Alex,20; and Eden, 16; and his parents, Harryand Naomi Zaslow.


Final Chapters

Jeffrey Zaslow, 1958-2012

Jeffrey Zaslow

Retreat Center. The book included 35articles she selected, collected and edited,one of them she wrote and her introduction.Rosina is proud to point out the confer-ence was also attended by the Director ofEcole du Louvre in Paris, Claire Barbillon,who said that it was the best conferenceshe ever attended. As a follow up to theconference, Rosina founded an internation-al organization, Art, Literature and Musicin Symbolism and Decadence at theUniversity of Illinois Springfield. Rosinanow is organizing a second internationalconference on the same topic, “Symbolism,Its Origins and Its Consequences” with thetheme “Light and Darkness.” This confer-ence will have 43 presenters and twokeynote speakers. After the conference,Rosina will publish another book basedon papers presented at the conference. Totop it off, Rosina has accepted an offerfrom Cambridge Scholars Publishing tobe a founder and an editor of an annualseries, “Art, Literature and Music inSymbolism and Decadence.”

Follow Biblio File on

Twitter@bibliofilesma

The Society of Midland Authors Boardof Directors met Feb. 15 at the home ofRecording Secretary Anstasia Royal.

Treasurer Jim Merriner said he is retir-ing in April and moving to Ohio, so wewill need a new Treasurer. Merriner saidthe job involves four heavy-liftingmonths: July and August, when the duescome in, and the two months around theannual dinner in May.

Vice President Gerry Souter, who alsois a book contest judge, said books havebeen coming in for the contest.

Because the Cliff Dwellers closes atthe end of March, the Society don't havea home for the April 10 meeting.President Robert Loerzel said we are con-sidering the option of not doing a pro-gram in April.

Biblio FileContinued from Page 8

Board Notes

Turn to Page 12


WHO ARE YOU?1. Are you a current member of the Society?q Yes q No2. Are you a former member of the Society?q Yes q No3. Approximately how many years in total(consecutive or nonconsecutive) have youbeen a member?q 1-5 q 6-10 q 11-15 q 16-20 q 21+4. If you not currently a member, why not? q Too expensive q Not useful q Forgot to renew

Tell us more:

HOW ARE WE DOING?5. How satisfied are you with your Societymembership? q Very dissatisfied q Somewhat dissatisfied q Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied q Somewhat satisfied q Extremely satisfied

MISSION6. Do you believe the Society needs to clari-fy its mission? q Yes q No7. Please rank the following statements inorder of importance to you personally:__ The Society is a social group for writers.__ The Society provides networking

opportunities. __ The Society promotes members’ work.__ The Society encourages new writers. __ The Society supports the literary arts in

the Midwest.PUBLIC EVENTS

8. Please indicate your interest in the follow-ing themes for the Society’s public events:[1 = not interested, 2 = somewhat interested,3 = neither interested nor uninterested, 4 =somewhat interested, 5 = very interested]__ Fiction __ Nonfiction__ Chicago/Midwest history__ Poetry __ Writing craft (writing, revision, tech-nique)__ The business of publishing (getting pub-lished, promoting work)__ Book reviewing__ Social media__ Welcoming new members9. Please indicate your interest in the follow-ing formats for events: [1–5]__ Author readings__ Panel discussions__ Casual mixers/cocktails __ Book groups

__ Critique groups10. Please indicate your interest in the fol-lowing locations and venues:__ Chicago neighborhoods__ Chicago suburbs__ Other cities/states__ Libraries__ Bookstores__ Bars__ Coffee shops__ Member homes

PUBLICITY11. How often do you visit the Society web-site?q Weekly q Monthlyq Yearly q Never12. How often do you visit the SocietyFacebook page? q Weekly q Monthlyq Yearly q Never13. Do you follow the Society on Twitter? q Weekly q Monthlyq Yearly q Never14. Are there any specific areas you feel wecould be promoting the Society better?

15. How often are you willing to receiveemails from the Society?q Quarterly q Once a month q Twice a month q Four times a month16. Would you be interested in receivingLiterary License as an e-newsletter insteadof as a print edition? q Yes q No17. Please share your thoughts on the con-tent of Literary License. What do you like?What would you like to see more of?

WEBSITE18. Please tell us how well the website doesthe following. [1–5]__ Explains the mission and membership ofthe Society__ Captures interest of new users__ Promotes our authors’ books__ Promotes our authors as speakers__ Promotes the SMA awards__ Promotes the SMA programs__ Promotes SMA membership__ Shares current news about the Societyand its members

AWARDS DINNER19. Have you attended the award ceremony?q Yes q No20. If yes, in which year did you most

recently attend?q 2007 or earlier q 2008q 2009 q 2010 q 201121. Please rate the following for the ceremo-ny most recently attended. [1–5]__ Cost __ Location__ Host __ Length __ Food__ Entertainment value22. The 2012 awards dinner will follow asimilar format to years past. For 2013 andfuture years, please rate your interest in thefollowing ideas. [1–4]__ Don’t change a thing.__ Seated ceremony in a hall (e.g., theHarold Washington Library auditorium), freeto the public. __ Seated ceremony in a hall (e.g., theHarold Washington Library auditorium), freeto the public, followed by a ticketed recep-tion with drinks and hors d’oeuvres.__ Ticketed wine and cheese reception withshorter ceremony.

THE FUTURE23. In just a few short years the Society willcelebrate its 100th anniversary. How shouldthe Society prioritize its efforts in 2012?Please rank the following from 1 to 4, with 1being the most important.__ Creating more dynamic programming__ Building membership__ Broadening geographic reach__ Enhancing value of membership

GETTING INVOLVED45. The Society thrives on member partici-pation. If you are interested in becomingmore involved, please indicate your areas ofinterest. [SELECT ALL THAT APPLY]q Identify and nominate authors in your areaq Program events q Write blog postsq Help with publicityq Help with website/online presenceq Represent SMA at book fairs, etc.q Other25. Please provide your email address ortelephone number. [FILL IN THE BLANK]

FINAL THOUGHTSThank you for taking the time to completethis survey. Your insight is truly appreciated!Please feel free to share any final thoughtsbelow. Use more paper if needed.

SMA QUESTIONNAIRE: The Society of Midland Authors wants your feedback. Please fill out this survey to help us make plans forthe future. It's also an opportunity to let us know if you'd like to help out with the SMA's activities. This survey is also online — visitwww.midlandauthors.com and click on the "MEMBER SURVEY" link. Or if you prefer to fill out this paper version, mail it to: Societyof Midland Authors, P.O. Box 101419, Chicago IL 60610. Please send us your completed survey or fill it out online by April 30.

The Society of Midland Authors willhave a tent at the Printers Row Lit Fest onJune 9-10.

We’ve been officially confirmed, socontact SMA President Robert Loezel fora two-hour time slot. The fee is $35.

There are four slots on each day, start-ing at 10 a.m. More than one author canshare a time slot. A tip: SMA authors whoin the past reported that the 4 p.m. to 6p.m. slot has the least foot traffic. This isa good opportunity for authors to selltheir books and meet readers.


The board discussed a survey drawn upby Board Member Keir Graff (which ison page 11 of this issue of LiteraryLicense). The board discussed changes inthe bylaws, which will be voted on by themembership at the May 8 dinner in accor-dance with the rules laid out in the exist-ing bylaws.

Gerry Souter displayed a new SMAbookmark he designed.

Robert Loerzel said the SMA is regis-tered to be at the Chicago Creative Expo(see note at right).

Treasurer's report: Jim Merriner saidthe Society’s net worth is about $34,000,but probably will diminish by about$4,000 after the dinner. Merriner suggest-ed we increase the awards from $300 to$500. It was decided to vote on this at theMarch meeting.

The board also discussed reviving aneffort to get sponsorships for the annualdinner so we could also do things likepay for the dinners for finalists


Printers RowBoard Notes

Choosing what not to say when each word is a step in the dark,sometimes takes too long and then there is trouble. No matter

that you, who always try to look out for their toes, tryalso not to step on your own, a position

no longer in fashion, today the word is speed, it's leapinginto revolving responses like doors

no one need exit from, no one need hear anyone else. – from Evensong, Ingrid Wendt

Society of Midland AuthorsP.O. Box 10419Chicago IL60610

Address Service Requested

The Society of Midland Authors will beat the Creative Chicago Expo March 23-24 at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E.Washington St., Chicago.

The expo is a chance for artists andorganizations to connect and exchange

information about the best practices andrecent information across disciplines.Representatives from the SMA will bepresent at the expo to spread the wordabout the Society's activities. For detailson the expo, visithttp://www.chicagoartistsresource.org/dan

ce/node/38109

Creative Chicago Expo

biblio file authors’ heart-to-heart talkmidlandauthors.com/newsletter/2_2012.pdf · february,...

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