6 week writing workshops

Hello, Ink Blots,

I have finally gotten all of my travels complete and would like to get The Community of Mercer County Writers up and running again. What I need to know is how many of you are interested in getting started again. For me, it is time to get back to the basic idea of the group which is to get together and encourage and inspire each other's writing. I think we may have gotten off track and involved in too many things that took up more of our time than the basic mission of the original group. We all want to succeed with out writing, to get our best work published and find the satisfaction of getting our passion on paper. If this sounds like something you want to continue to be involved in please reply to this email as soon as possible. There are a couple of places downtown where we can meet on a regular basis but I need some idea of how many will be participating, so let me know as soon as you can.

I will be starting a 6 week workshop at the library on July 12th beginning at 6:30. Each week will be devoted to a different aspect of writing from just the basics to getting published. I invite you to attend and be a part of this. Actually, I would appreciate some of you coming to help me guide any of the new writers who might attend. You do not have to commit to every week but the more you can be there to help the better.

Looking forward to sharing with all of you again and hearing from you.

Tony

As many of you now know ...

... our fearless leader, Tony Sexton has been ill and in the hospital. Our meeting on September 10th was cancelled and the meeting for September 24th may also be cancelled, unless someone wants to step forward and lead the group. I'm not comfortable leading the group, but I am continuing to work and edit the two chapbooks we are working on.

The first one - Scary/Ghost Stories - has a deadline of September 24th in order for us to get it edited, proofed and printed by October 9th, the day of the Arts Council Fall Festival.

The second one - Library Memories - has a deadline of October 22nd and will be used at the grand opening of the brand-new Mercer County Public Library.

You can email your stories, poems or prose directly to me at:

brightmyer249@hotmail.com

Everyone will receive a draft of the chapbook before it is printed to make sure everything is correct and placed in the way you want it.

Please be sending in stories ASAP - the deadline for the first one is fast approaching and we currently only have 24 pages filled. The "Prose and Poetry for Pets" was 60 pages long and we don't necessarily need to have that many pages, but I would like to have between 35 and 40. These stories are not limited to people from Mercer County, so if you have friends that like to write, please tell them to send something in.

Please keep Tony in your thoughts and prayers, and hopefully he will be back with us very soon.

Attention Inkblots

Inkblots!!

I haven't heard from many of you so this is a reminder that we are going to try and get back in the swing of writing again... time for a real Jump Start!!! This Friday, 6:30 at the Heritage Center on US 127... Bring a friend who may want to get started with us... we will be discussing a lot of stuff and trying to get back in the groove... I hope to see you there... SERIOUSLY!!!

Tony

Authors to Read

Harrodsburg poet Tony Sexton will be reading at the Terrapin Hill Festival on Saturaday, September 26th from 2 until 3. He will also be sharing this time slot with another Kentucky author, Ed McClanahan. Come on out to Terrapin Hill Farm this weekend and support these wonderful authors!

Book Launch

Congratulations to Tony Sexton and Earl P. Dean on your successful book launch/mixer yesterday at the Kentucky Fudge Company. Tony has just released his first book of poetry, "Scraps," and Earl has release a science fiction novella, "A Tailor Maiden's Secret."

Both of these books are available at Wasteland Press and Amazon.

Herschel McKinley - the MC (Photo by Bobbi Rightmyer)

Earl P. Dean (Photo by Cheryl Sexton)

Tony Sexton (Photo by Bobbi Rightmyer)

Earl P. Dean and Tony Sexton (Photo by Cheryl Sexton)

Book Release Party

Host: Nomadic Ink
Type: Party - Mixer
Date: Saturday, August 15, 2009
Time: 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Location: Kentucky Fudge Company
Main Street, Harrodsburg, Kentucky


The Community of Mercer County Writers - Nomadic Ink - is hosting a book release party to celebrate 2 books by Harrodsburg native authors. Earl Dean will be signing his new young adult book - A TAILOR MAIDEN'S SECRET - and Tony Sexton will be signing his new book of poetry - SCRAPS.

Everyone is encouraged to come out and support these wonderful authors. Books will be available for purchase.

Tony Sexton's Scraps

Congratulations, Tony Sexton, for the publication of your new book, SCRAPS. Tony is the leader of The Community of Mercer County Writers and has lead several writing workshops in the community.

Many writers have said they never knew when an idea or inspiration might hit them and I am no different. Often I find myself considering an idea with no means of jotting it down. Usually I have a pen but, more often than not, I don't have a notebook handy. The only solution, in these cases, is to use what ever I can find; a napkin, box top, grocery receipt or an envelope. The title of this first collection, Scraps, comes from this dilemma. I began writing in the fifth grade when is teacher, Miss Castle, gave me writing challenge using the word “compulsion”. Since then I has spent over 20 years writing, leading writing workshops, which are designed for all ages and experiences and trying to complete her assignment. I am a member of The Community of Mercer County Writers and president elect of The Kentucky State Poetry. You can find my writing in The Journal of Kentucky Studies, Jar and several magazines including Good Old Days. I live in Mercer County with my wonderful wife, Cheryl and their dog, Mercy.

SCRAPS is available from Amazon and Wasteland Press

Advanced Writers Class

Just a reminder to all members of The Mercer Community of Writers, or anyone else interested in writing - tonight is the first class of Tony Sexton's new Advanced Writers Workshop, 6 pm at the Mercer Public Library Meeting Room.

This class will meet each Tuesday from 6 - 8 pm and are free and open to the public.

New Writing Class

For anyone who is interested, Tony Sexton will be beginning a new writer's workshop on April 23rd. This will be an advanced writing class and will last approximately 9 weeks. Anyone interested in joining this workshop can leave a comment on this post and we will get the information to Tony.

If you have not had the pleasure of participating in one of Tony's workshops, you are missing a great writing experience. Anyone completing this workshop can then join the Mercer County Community of Writers.