KANSAS AUTHORS CLUB’S 103rd ANNUAL STATE CONVENTION AND WRITING CONFERENCE Day Two

Story ID:	3253
Written by:	Gail Lee Martin
Organization:	Kansas Authors Club
Story type:	Diary/Journal Entry
Location:	Wichita Kansas USA
Year:	2007
Person:	Gail Martin, friends & daughters

KANSAS AUTHORS CLUB’S 103rd ANNUAL STATE CONVENTION AND WRITING CONFERENCE
Day Two
Saturday morning we got up early enough to go find breakfast before the convention activities began. Since the Holiday Inn Select was fronting on to Kellogg street and Wichita had been working on making it into a straight through fly-over street for years, the Kansas Authors Club planning committee thought they would be through with the construction by the time we were to host the convention.

After signing the reservations with the hotel three years ago, the committee was dismayed to find the street construction was straight in front of hotel by October 5, 2007, making it difficult for everyone to get in and out or go find a place to eat. But writers are diligent once their minds are made up. So many just zipped this way and others that way and all found breakfast and were back to the convention site in time to browse the Book Room full of books on display and for sale by Kansas writers attending this annual affair.

On a large table in the center of the Book Boom were Silent Auction items donated by the host members to be scrutinized and bid on. This room was a good place to meet friends and grab up some good reading material by fellow writers. Many authors were handy to autograph their book you had just purchased. I had an extra special feeling when I held an author’s autograph book to take home to enjoy and add to my ’Wall of Books.’

The first workshops started at 10:00am and the attendees had a choice of three to choose from: Robert Beattie, “BTK: Surprised by a Bestseller”; Daniel Spees, “Place of Poetry”; or Mike Klaassen’s “Scene and Sequel” about how he outlined his young-adult stories. The time went too fast while I was immersed in Robert Beattie’s workshop. Everybody close to Wichita had feared BTK, ‘bind, torture & kill’ and now one of our own had a book published about it. After years of fear the killer was caught and is in the Federal Prison on the hill east of our town.

Those interested in writing poetry flocked to the workshop led by Daniel Spees, who teaches English at the Hutchinson Community College. Spees has his poems published in many poetry journals and a book of his poetry, “Asleep in the Orchard Grass,” is forthcoming from Woodley Press.

At 11:00 we had three more choices of workshops. Deb Seely, who’s book, “Grasslands” made Bank Street’s List of Best Children’s Books and won the Society of Midland Authors award for juvenile fiction, gave her workshop on “Life as Story”; Robert Beattie gave another workshop titled, “Crime Writer” and Carol Reynolds with “Fun with Haiku.” Since I don’t write poetry very well I stayed and listened to Robert Beattie again, with his different twist on writing crime stories.

Lunch break we were own our own again and the do-se-do around the construction barricades began again. The first workshops after lunch was a choice of “Point of View” by Mike Klaassen or “Working With Words” presented by Annette Wood and Roxie Olmstead, both widely published non-fiction writers from the Wichita area. The third choice “Inspirational Pieces--The Dessert of Writing” was offered by Frankie Roland of Coffeyville, Kansas. Frankie has done well writing for the religious market and writing Sunday School papers for children. Many members of the Kansas Authors Club already have copies of her book, “These Are My People” and “The Stubborn Tooth.”

The second round of workshops on Saturday afternoon starting at 2:30 were presented by Stan Nelson, Museum Specialist Emeritus, Smithsonian on “Printing at the Smithsonian”; Joyce Livingston, Christian Romance writer, who led, “You Gotta Wanna, You Gotta Do It” and a second chance to attend “Fun with Haiku” by Carol Reynolds. Leaving the workshops many stopped by the book room to check out the Silent Auction’s progress and greet friends or find more member’s books they just had to buy. Then everyone retired to their rooms for a short rest before getting dressed up in our best finery to attend the evening Award Banquet.

Around 6:00 pm convention attendees began gathering in groups as they strolled toward the South Ballroom for the banquet. We were seated at round tables with place settings for eight. Each table had centerpieces of lighted candles arranged on mirrors that reflected their elegance. Overhead were enormous chandeliers dazzling with lights. Swiftly the groups were served and more friendships were made as they shared the lovely meal.

Then Stan Nelson was introduced as the Keynote speaker. He spoke on “Ink in Their Veins.“ Stan told of many famous printers, who's footsteps he had followed and how he had started out printing a neighborhood newspaper at a very early age. All this lead to his twenty some years with the Smithsonian.

After the keynote address the 2007 KAC Merit Awards were announced as well as members who had published their first book during the past year were honored. Then the audience retired to the second evening of read-a-rounds and more fellowship. I’m sure other participating members were getting as tired as I was, so we all went to our rooms and enjoyed a fine night’s rest to be ready for Sunday, the last day of the convention.

#1 photo Stan Nelson's workshop
#2 photo Frankie Roland's workshop
#3 photo Roxie Olmstead in charge of the convention's registration desk
#4 photo Cynthia Ross after receiving Merit award