Welcome to High Sierra Writers

Next HSW Meeting 

Saturday March 9 at 10 am at
Raleys ONE Supermarket on Wedge Parkway

HEY’RE ONLY WORDS, RIGHT?

Yes, but how do we use them, choose them, and how many do we use?

We’ll explore how we can apply the tight imagery of poetry to prose. This session will weave together several of the concepts we’ve covered over the past several months such as description vs. image; passive verbs and how to kill them; eliminating bloat; etc.

Bring something to write on and/or with (like paper and pen or a tablet, phone, computer, etc.) to participate in the exercises.

* * *

Also on the Agenda, Matt will be doing both First Pages and Critiques. For FIRST PAGES: If you would like to get feedback on the first page of your work from the group, then send it to Matt (MattBayan@aol.com) before 6 pm by Friday, March 8th. The page should be double-spaced in Times New Roman or equivalent 12 point type. Do not include your name on the page, but do include the genre.  

For CHAPTER OR SCENE CRITIQUE: Send a maximum of six pages, double-spaced with Times New Roman or similar front, 12 point to Linda Enos or the Board (Board@highsierrawriters.org) at least three days before the meeting so copies can be made. The session will be facilitated by Matt and the whole group can comment on the pages. 
 

GUEST OR TOPIC IDEAS!
If you have a topic area you’d like covered or know of someone you’d like to have as a guest speaker at an upcoming meeting, please drop a line to board@highsierrawriters.org

Google Meet Information:

High Sierra Writers MeetingGoogle Meet joining info:

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/bmx-txbf-nnuOr dial: ‪(US) +1 949-424-7153‬ PIN: ‪995 846 279‬#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/bmx-txbf-nnu?pin=1873220995940

Critique Groups Update

Reminder: You must be a current PAID member of HSW in order to participate in one of our critique groups. 

If you’d like to join a group or have general questions about critiquing, contact Linda Enos at lynda.r.bailey@gmail.com

WE HAVE A NEW GROUP!
We’re pleased to announce HSW has a new SciFi/Fantasy group co-led by Angela Canon and Kat Oakley. There was a definite need for this group, which met for the first time in February, as it has already reached its capacity with nine members. Congrats!

MYSTERY WRITERS WANTED!
The Mystery and More group is looking for authors! If you write mystery, or any genre other than romance or children’s, let Linda know. She’ll put you in touch with the group leader, Ron, so you can learn more details.

PLEASE REMEMBER…

If you have a few pages you’d like the HSW members to critique cold, don’t forget to send your submission (max of 6 pages, double spaced with New Times Roman, or similar font, 12pt) to Linda or to the HSWBoard (board@highsierrawriters.org) at least 3 days before the monthly meeting so hard copies can be made.

HSW CRITIQUE GROUP RETURNING TO B&N

President, Matt Bayan, has reestablished the B&N critique group. For more info on how this group works, email Linda.

FYI…

The After-the-Regular-Meeting (ATRM) critique group will not be meeting in March, but will resume in April if you care to sit in. 😊

Don’t forget to contact Linda Enos at lynda.r.bailey@gmail.com with any questions or concerns!

Have you paid your 2024 Dues ?

Never has it been so inexpensive to join or renew at High Sierra Writers. Dues are only two dollars for the whole year! Yes, Matt lost his mind and set the renewal low. 

You can pay your dues at a meeting (please bring exact amount $2), Rene has very little cash with her.

Or you can pay by check made payable to High Sierra Writers and handed to Rene (Treasurer) at the meeting or mailed to HSW at HSW Membership, PO Box 12241 Reno, NV 89510 (Please email the Board if your mail it.)

Or you can pay via PayPal at paypal.me/Twobucks2024 – Enter the dollar amount you are paying. If you pay for more than one membership, please let us know the names for each and a good email address so we can send you our monthly newsletter.

You asked for it, we’re doing it. We will host a drop-in critique meeting at the Barnes & Noble cafe on S Virginia Street from 6 PM to 8 PM. Meetings will be held on the FIRST and THIRD Wednesdays of each month, usually hosted by Matt Bayan.

Drop-in means no prep and no homework. Just bring 5 or 6 pages on which you want feedback and read them to the group. If you want, someone else can read your material out loud. If you’re really ambitious, you can bring hard copies, but that starts to look like homework and we really want to avoid work of any sort.

Your material can be a chapter or a passage you want to test, like an action scene, or dialogue, or something you’re just not sure about. Fiction or nonfiction.

You don’t need to be there for the whole meeting. If you can’t make it until 7 PM, no big deal.
You don’t have to bring material. These sessions are a great way to build up your editing muscles by analyzing work of other writers.

See you there.

May 31 – June 2, 2024WRITING RETREAT!!Kim Harnes is offering a late spring Writing Retreat from Friday May 31st through Sunday June 2nd at Virginia City at the St. Mary’s Art Center. 

Popular guest Timothy Travaglini, Literary Agent with Transatlantic Agency out of New York returns for the event. One hour-long class will be provided both Friday and Saturday (topics TBD).

Two classes will be presented, one on both Friday and Saturday, subjects not yet determined, will be included in the registration fee.

Friday night’s dinner will be a pot luck. You will be responsible for your own meals and you will find some amazing restaurants to visit in Virginia City. If you prefer to bring your own, the facility offers a large refrigerator and full kitchen onsite.Only full-conference options are available at this time, but Half-conference options might open up if there is still room. 

Please visit Kim’s website at  https://www.kimharnes.com/news-and-events for the registration form. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to her.

HSW Writers’ Success Stories

High Sierra Writers has quite a few published writers in the group. We have a page featuring the various books grouped by author under genre. These are under HSW Authors link. As our authors release new books, we’ll feature them here. If you have a release coming up, send me your press release to RPAverett@gmail.com.

HSW Writers’ Success Stories

High Sierra Writers has quite a few published writers in the group. We have a page featuring the various books grouped by author under genre. These are under HSW Authors link. As our authors release new books, we’ll feature them here.

This month we’re featuring a debut novel from Russell T. Jones. It released on February 29 on Amazon and is currently 99-cents to purchase or read for free on Kindle Unlimited. Here’s a slightly shortened blurb of the book:

Alone in space, years from rescue, everyone she knows is missing.

While orbiting a newly discovered planet, the Celestus research vessel is plagued with technical mishaps, contaminated samples, and interdepartmental hostility.

When an unconscious engineer, found outside the colony domes, is brought up from the surface, Dr. Beth Adler is assigned to his care. With only a sparse incident report, Beth’s investigation uncovers two disturbing facts: he needed senior-level authorization to leave the domes, and no known substance on the planet could have punctured his environment suit.

…Beth awakens one day in total darkness, with fragmented memories of the previous day’s events. Her ship, now unpowered, is catastrophically damaged, and derelict. The last thing she remembers is the alarm repeating the same horrifying message. “Quarantine breach.”

In this gripping sci-fi thriller, join Dr. Beth Adler on an adrenaline-fueled odyssey of survival, mystery, and betrayal amidst a colony on the brink of catastrophe.

To get a copy, go to: https://www.amazon.com/Orbital-Strain-Sci-fi-Suspense-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0CTD2LMGM/

Please support your fellow HSW members by reading and reviewing their books. As we all know, those reviews are keys to getting better recognition and sales.