Friday Filler

The Literary Social Calendar

WLT Events

Workshops and Classes

How to Pick Your Publishing Pathway with Lana Castle 10/6

Lana Castle’s Guest Blog The Road to Publication

Poetic License: Using Poetic Language and Devices in your Poetry, Prose and Everyday Writing with Liz Garton Scanlon 9/15

Liz Garton Scanlon’s Guest Blog Poetic License & Language

Creating Effective Characters with Michael Druxman 9/22

Q & A with Michael Druxmanon featured on Scribe

Social Media 101 with Shennandoah Diaz 9/29
Her Guest Blog coming soon! Here’s an archived blog from Scribe.

More featured Guest Blogs coming soon! Visit our page for more upcoming WLT Classes and Workshops.

AUSTIN BAT CAVE announces its

1st annual “Bat to School Bash,” presenting: Apocalypse: A Bill Callahan Tour Film and live performance by Bill Callahan!

Tickets are $17 and can be purchased in advance at austintheatre.org

The Austin Bat Cave proudly presents an evening with Bill Callahan—live and onscreen, Friday, September 14, at the Stateside Theater, 719 Congress Avenue, at 8 pm. The show will mark the first annual “Bat to School Bash” for the Austin Bat Cave (ABC), a nonprofit that teaches kids writing.

The enigmatic Callahan is a long-time critical darling who for years recorded and toured under the name Smog, releasing 10 albums. Callahan moved to Austin in 2004 and has released three albums under his own name. The latest, last year’s Apocalypse, is one of his best, an album that is both spooky and sweet, stripped down but also weirdly rollicking. Apocalypse got rave reviews in Rolling Stone, the New Yorker, and Pitchfork, which said Callahan is “making the best albums of his career.”

In 2011 Callahan toured the world to promote Apocalypse, and Austin filmmaker Hanly Banks went along with a camera. The result is “Apocalypse: A Bill Callahan Tour Film,” and ABC will offer its Texas premier on September 14. The night will feature the documentary, a performance by Callahan, a short video of an ABC song-writing workshop with kids and Callahan, followed by a reception with artist and filmmaker. Callahan hasn’t played in Austin since March, so this show will be a singular musical and cultural event.

This marks the first annual Bat to School Bash for ABC, which connects a diverse population of young writers with adult volunteers in Austin. ABC’s numerous workshops and programs are free. But in order to truly fulfill its mission, ABC needs a brick-and-mortar space where kids learn and volunteers teach. This future writing and tutoring center will offer free writing programs for kids. At the moment, the organization is very close to realizing this vision, with more details to come! This fundraiser will help pay for yearly operating costs for our center as well programming.

For more info call the Stateside Theater at (512) 474-1221 or contact Katie Angermeier kangermeier@austinbatcave.org

Beginning Creative Writing Workshops with Manuel Gonzales

Austin Bat Cave, a writing & tutoring center for kids, presents its series of creative writing workshops for adults!

Thursday, September 20 – Thursday, November 8th, 2012 6:30–9:00 pm (eight weekly sessions)

It is human nature to tell stories, to experience the world and repackage our experiences into different kinds of narrative. But writing these narratives out, developing them into a story, an essay, or a novel can sometimes be difficult or daunting. Writers of all stripes struggle with many of the same questions, no matter their experience, no matter how many stories or novels they’ve finished: does the story make sense, do the characters seem real, does anything actually happen? In this beginning creative writing workshop, we will focus on those basic elements of writing a good story—beginnings, endings, developing realistic and engaging characters, thorning out the thorny issues of plot— through a mixture of in-class lectures, outside reading, and in-class workshop critiques.

We’ll also discuss finding the time to write, making a life as a writer, and the business of publication, from finding an agent to submitting work to magazines and publishing houses. Whether a novice to writing or someone who simply wants a refresher course and an introduction to the workshop process, this promises to be an excellent class. New workshops participants are asked to send a writing sample of two pages for consideration. Also, please include a few sentences about yourself and your writing and workshop experience, and what you hope to accomplish by the end of the class. Please email sample to workshop@austinbatcave.org. Write “beginning workshop” in the subject field.

Workshop Fee: $385

Location: Workshops are held at the Austin Bat Cave, 1807 West 11th Street, Austin, TX 78704

Manuel Gonzales is the author of The Miniature Wife and Other Stories, forthcoming from Riverhead Books, January 10, 2013. He has published fiction and nonfiction in McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, One Story Magazine, The Believer Magazine, The Mississippi Review, Open City Magazine, and Fence Magazine. He is the executive director of Austin Bat Cave, a writing & tutoring center for kids, and has taught online Fiction I and Fiction II courses for The Gotham Writer’s Workshop since 2006.

A portion of this fee will go toward supporting Austin Bat Cave, a writing & tutoring center for kids. For more information about Austin Bat Cave, please visit austinbatcave.org. You can also visit their facebook page.

Digital Symposium II: The Nuts and Bolts of Success

Austin SCBWI’s Digital Symposium II: Nuts and Bolts of Success is a hands-on technology workshop for illustrators and authors of all techie levels. Be it blogging or beveling, tweeting or…technique sharing, hyperlinking or hashtagging, the intention of this symposium is for the participants to leave with new skills to add their technological tool belts. You can download the full packet here, which includes conference info and an off-line registration sheet.

October 6, 2012 ~ 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

St. Edward’s University ~ Fleck Hall

3001 South Congress Avenue

Austin, Texas 78704 ~ 512-448-8400

Fees ~ Member Rate – $85.00

Non-Member Rate – $100.00

Morning coffee/tea/juice bar and lunch are included in the fee.

For more information read their online PDF packet of the event here You can also visit their website. Here is a clip for the event:

SCBWI Southwest Texas Regional Conference 2012

Saturday, September 15, 2012 ~ 8:45 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

University of the Incarnate Word Mabee Library Building and surrounding facilities ~ 4301 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209

Join us on September 15 for this exclusive opportunity to meet and learn from an exciting gathering of professionals in the children’s literature industry, including:

Dan Santat, Illustrator and Keynote Speaker

Mary Kate Castellani, Associate Editor, Walker Books for Young Readers (Bloomsbury)

Molly Jaffa, Director of International Rights, Folio Literary Management

Mary Kole, Senior Literary Manager, Movable Type Management

Conference Tuition ~ Advance registration is required!

SCBWI Member – Early Bird rate through August 15: $100; SCBWI Member – rate from August 16 – September 14: $125;  Nonmember: $150

Tuition includes: Keynote Session, General Sessions, Intensive Breakout Sessions, Buffet Lunch, and Networking Social with Book Signings, Silent Auction, and more! For more information on registration and the agenda visit their website.

Poetry on the Plaza ~ The American Folk Tradition

Wednesday September 5, noon ~ Harry Ransom Center ~ Free

The Harry Ransom Center kicks off a new Poetry on the PLaza season with The American Folk Tradition. In celebration of Woody Guthrie’s 100th birthday, readers share lyrics and poetry in the American folk tradition. Readers include Coleman Hutchison, Carrie Fountain, and Abe Louise Young.

Refreshments will be served at the free event. Pick up a free poster and bookmark with the 2012-2013 Poetry on the Plaza schedule at the visitor desk in the Ransom Center Lobby.  For more information, visit their website.

Gemini Ink – San Antonio

Gemini Ink is out with their new Fall 2012 Catalog! Click here  for a full list of classes, information on registration, and other events coming up at Gemini Ink.

Community Talk

Meet our new Executive and Artistic Director Sheila Black! Join us for Gemini Ink Block Party, readings, refreshments and a community Q&A session. Special Guest Poet Connie Voisine. Friday, September 7, 6:30pm.

Twig Book Shop Event – San Antonio

Special Event ~ Anthony Bourdain ~ at Laurie Auditorium

200 E Grayson, Ste. 124  San Antonio, TX 78215 at the Historic Pearl Brewery

twig@thetwig.com ~ thetwig.com

The Twig Book Shop has been invited to be the official bookseller for Anthony Bourdain on Nov. 8th. Fans of chef, food writer, and television host Bourdain will be happy to know that tickets for his show Guts and Gloryare now available.

Announcing Fading Light

Open to Interpretation brings together photographers and writers in an exciting and innovative book project that has never been done before. Each book begins with a themed call for photos. The chosen photos become the literary inspiration for the writers’ submissions. A book is created that matches each winning photo with two stories or poems that offer different interpretations of the image.

The photographers sent us their images of shadows, absence of light, twilight, darkness, losing light, and transformation. Now it’s your turn to use the images to inspire your words. Your poems and stories may include the literal description of the work, personal memories, metaphorical associations, or your mood inspired by the image. Poetry, flash fiction, narrative, ekphrastic poetry, short story, memoir, non-fiction, song lyrics, myth, tall tale or fairy tale – all genres are acceptable.

Book Title: Open to interpretation

Theme: Fading Light

Judge: Jacqueline Kolosov

Submission Fee: $20 for 3 images, $10 additional

Deadline for submission: November 13, 1012. Results Announced: February 7, 2013. Results Posted Online: February 10, 2013. Awards: $500 Judge’s Selection Award For full details go to their website.

Workshops – Austin

The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center and Red Salmon Arts present Florde. Two Writing Workshops on Saturdays:

Saturday, August 25

“Caressing the Flame: Writing the Difficult led by ire’ne lara silva, 1-3 p.m.

“A Handful of Ideas” led by Gloria Amescua, 3-5 p.m.

A reading following the workshops, featuring Ire’ne Lara Silva and Gloria Amesc, will be at Resistencia Bookstore at 7 pm.

Saturday, September 29

“Translingual Poetics: Writing authentic poems”

led by Liliana Valenzuela, 1-3 p.m.

“Incorporating the Fantastic and Mythical into Narrative Writing” led by Jo Reyes-Boitel, 3-5 p.m.

Saturday, October 27th

“Let the Characters Decide: A Strategy for Triggering Action and Raising the Stakes in Stories” led by Ramona Reeves, 1-3 p.m.

“Writing in la lluvia: Writing like it’s your last day” led by Barbara Renaud Gonzales, 3-5 p.m.

Saturday, November 17

“Bills Bliss” led by Celeste Mendoza, 1-3 p.m.

“Poetry as Pilgrimage” led by John Fry, 3 – 5 p.m.

To reserve your spot email: flordenopal@gmail.com or call 512-974-378z

All workshops will be at the ESB- MACC in the Raulrsalinas Media Lab, Room #108, first floor. 600 River Street ~ Austin ~ Texas ~ 78701 ~ 512-974-3772   www.maccaustin.org.

Conference V – Houston Writers’ Guild

Friday, October 12th ~ 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Workshop #1 ~ April Eberhardt on “An Agents View of Self-Publishing.”

April works with serious authors who recognize the need for professional support, and the importance of publishing in the highest-quality way, be it traditionally or independently. Agent-vetted manuscripts help independently-published authors stand out from the millions of others, and contribute to raising the bar for independent publishing, garnering recognition and sales for those authors who understand and commit to “self-publishing, done right.”

Workshop #2 ~ Nikki Loftin on “Build your writing toolkit.”

No one does it like Nikki Loftin, easily voted the most entertaining and instructive lecturer of our entire faculty at the Spring conference. Nikki will present a 3 hour hand-on workshop for any genre, where folks come in with ideas/rough sketches and leave with polished queries, pitches, and improvement on their opening pages.

Saturday, October 13th ~ 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

Margie Lawson on “Empowering Character’s Emotions.” Want to add a psychological punch to your writing? Want to learn how to capture the full range of body language on the page? Want to turn your work into a page-turner by powering up emotions and hooking the reader viscerally? Learn the “edits” system. Basic, complex empowered and super-empowered passages: Backstory management, Kinesics, Haptics, Proxemics, Facial expressions, Paralanguage and much more.

The conference will be held at the Sugar Land Marriot Hotel 16090 City Walk Sugar Land, Texas 77479. For more information on Agents and what else the conference has to offer for writers, click here

Art on Tap Events – Houston

Aug 30, 2012 – Sep 2, 2012

Time: 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Location: Spacetaker ARC

Fresh Arts invites audiences into the visual and visceral world where the performing and visual arts meet in The Black Space by Lydia Hance’s Frame Dance Productions. The Black Space is a multi-media dance installation and performance, running August 30 through September 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10.

Participatory and intimate in design, The Black Space explores the concept of forgiveness and the dichotomy between the sanity and healthiness of letting go and the unresolved anxiety that results from holding on to how others have wronged us. The Black Space is live dance performance, dance-on-screen, new sound scores, and the instinctive need to find forgiveness in the midst of injury.

Sep 6, 2012

Time: 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Location: Boheme Cafe and Wine Bar

Celebrate our local art scene each Thursday with Fresh Arts and Boheme! Join us at Boheme from 5-10PM, when a portion of the proceeds benefits a new local non profit arts organization each week! Cultured Cocktails was named “Best Happy Hour of 2010” by the Houston Press.

This week learn more about Musiqa : Led by five composers, Musiqa’s mission is to enrich and inspire the community through programs that integrate contemporary music with other modern art-forms. With its innovative collaborations and educational programming, Musiqa strives to make modern repertoire accessible and vital to audiences of all ages and musical backgrounds. For more information for Art on Tap Events, visit their calendar page.

Hank the Cowdog Event – Abilene

Join John R. Erickson, best known as the author of the Hank the Cowdog series of books, audio-books, and stage plays at the NCCIL gallery. Erickson has written and published 75 books, and his stories have won a number of awards, including the Audie, Oppenheimer, Wrangler, and Lamplighter Awards, and have been translated into Spanish, Danish, Farsi, and Chinese. The Hank the Cowdog series began as a self-publishing venture in his garage in 1982, and has endured to become one of the nation’s most popular series for children and families. Through the eyes of Hank the Cowdog, a smelly, smart-aleck Head of Ranch Security, Erickson gives readers a glimpse of daily life on a ranch in the West Texas Panhandle.

WHERE: NCCIL, 102 Cedar – Abilene, Texas 79601

TIME: 3:00 PM

WHEN: 22nd September, 2012

AGE: Everyone who wants to have a BLAST!

COST: $2.50 per person

Books and audio CD’s available for purchase at the bookstore. NCCIL Bookstore purchases can be autographed after the event. For more information or to buy your ticket, call 325-673-4586. Be sure to reserve your ticket today and for more information visit their website.

Author Kevin Brockmeier to hold readings at Wittliff, KAP House – San Marcos

The Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center and the Wittliff Collections at Texas State University-San Marcos will host a readings and book signings from award-winning author Kevin Brockmeier Sept. 6-7.

Brockmeier will speak and sign copies of his books at the Wittliff Collections located on the seventh floor of Alkek Library on the Texas State campus 3:30 p.m. Sept. 6. He will also give a reading and book signing at the Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center in Kyle 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7. The events are free and open to the public.

Brockmeier is the author of the novels The Illumination, The Brief History of the Dead and The Truth About Celia; the children’s novels City of Names and Grooves: A Kind of Mystery, and the story collections Things That Fall from the Sky and The View from the Seventh Layer. He has published stories in The New Yorker, The Georgia Review, McSweeney’s, Zoetrope, The Oxford American, The Best American Short Stories, The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror and the O. Henry: Prize Stories anthology. He has received the Borders Original Voices Award, the Chicago Tribune’s Nelson Algren Award, an Italo Calvino Short Fiction Award, a James Michener-Paul Engle Fellowship, three O. Henry Awards, the PEN USA Award and an NEA Grant.

The event is sponsored by the Burdine Johnson Foundation, The Wittliff Collections, and the Texas State University Department of English. Books will be available during and after the event through the University Bookstore and Barnes and Noble.

For more information, contact Katie Angermeier at kapliterarycenter@gmail.com or visit www.english.txstate.edu/kap.

PR by the Book’s “Escape to Austin” Contest

Now in its 10th year of operation, with a growing pool of star literary talent and media personalities, PR by the Book has become a go-to firm in the book publishing industry for innovative publicity campaigns and top-tier media placement.

The contest is called “Escape to Austin” and will be a truly one-of-a-kind trip for the lucky winner. The prize package includes round-trip airfare for the winner and a guest, a two-night stay at The Hilton Garden Inn downtown Austin, dinner for two at TRIO in the Four Seasons, a $50 gift certificate to historic Hyde Park Bar & Grill and a couple of bookish perks.

To enter “Escape to Austin,” contest hopefuls must simply “like” PR by the Book on Facebook and fill out the entry form.  The contest runs August 1 – August 31, 2012, and a winner will be selected by September 7 (open to U.S. residents only.)

PR BY THE BOOK is a boutique publicity firm specializing in literary media relations campaigns, publishing consultation, small business publicity, and publicity tours for authors and experts. Our team of seasoned publicists has worked on books in nearly every genre, and with dozens of major publishing houses and small presses. Visit prbythebook.com to learn more.

Also coming up on Saturday, September 8th, is an eBook conference where our very own Marika Flatt will be talking about publicity tips. It will be a good chance for any writers and authors to find out more about publishing on an eBook platform. Thanks for all of the support in the past 10 years! It’s an exciting time for us.

If you’re a writer looking for answers to your publishing and ebook questions, there’s a whole event waiting for you on Saturday, September 8th.

“Let’s Make Ebook Gold” is the topic for Business Success Center’s fall Entrepreneurs Day from 9:30am to 4:00 pm on Saturday, September 8th. Expert sessions will deal with content and cover preparation, contracts and copyright, pricing, publishing and marketing your ebook. Designed for first time ebook creators and those who already have experience. The event begins with a networking session for attendees to share their ebook or idea.

PR by the Book’s Marika Flatt will be speaking in the afternoon session on all things publicity and publishing during her “Marketing Your Assets” session. Other session leaders include: Jan Triplett of Business Success Center, Tom Dever of TLC Graphics and Monica Emilienburg of Richards, Rodrigues & Skeith. Come to the morning or afternoon session only ($50 per session) or all day ($75). Seating limited to 25, so register quickly. For more details, visit their website.

Thanks for checking out Friday Filler this week.  Be sure to tell us how these events go on our facebook. Have a great weekend!

– WLT