President’s Letter – 11/25/2024
Winter Greetings from Authors of the Flathead,
The year comes to a close and, on this snowy morning, I look back on wonderful meetings, Writers Helping Writers in so many ways, a fabulous conference(see Zoe Howard’s Glacier NP pic), member publications too numerous to count and, I’m delighted to say, our association continues to grow with now almost ninety paid members!
I’ve been busy but productive, and I know you have, too. I’m close to assembling my first book of poetry and sending it off to the printer and I’m 96.3% sure I’ve found my cover designer for my first novel. My second novel is with beta readers and my critique group is helping me through my third. My orchard is buttoned up for the winter and I’ll press cider soon.
My thanks go out to the board, who donate so much time and expertise; to Dennis Foley for maintaining our website (he will be able to put on his white hat, get on his white horse, and ride into the AotF sunset soon); to Claudia Bennett, who is stewarding the 2025 conference; to Dixon Rice for overseeing the Open Readings, Sue Purvis for selecting the guest speakers for the second Thursdays; to Barbara Schiffman (and Glenn) for the screenwriting sessions and story concerts; and to all of you who volunteered here and there to help out with this and that. We are a marvelous team!
Good news: We’re in good shape financially. As a result, the Board has agreed to my suggestion that membership dues will not rise this year but will stay at $60.
The current board members have offered to serve in 2025. If you want to throw your name into the hat for a specific position, let me know. We’ll vote at the Annual Meeting, December 5 (see more below). Remote voting: send your votes to moc.l1735579932iamg@1735579932draob1735579932ftoa1735579932 by 6:00 pm on Dec. 5.
President: Craig Naylor
Vice President: Susan Purvis
Treasurer: Heidi Wolf
Secretary: Fran Tabor
Membership Coordinator: Melissa Kelly
At Large: Shira Marin
At Large: Carl Stevens
Whitefish Review is looking for readers, folks that look at the submissions and help weed them down to the final acceptances. I am a reader and it’s interesting to watch the process. Contact owner/publisher Brian Schott if interested – gro.w1735579932eiver1735579932hsife1735579932tihw@1735579932nairb1735579932.
Important Dates:
Thursday, November 28 – Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Thursday, December 5 will be our Annual Meeting followed by Kathy Dunnehoff’s always stellar class. I will lead a brief report on finances and we will elect officers for 2025.
Kathy’s session: Show, Tell & Swap – bring books, resources, advice etc., that have helped you in 2024. And if you’ve got writer supplies you’d like to be rid of, bring them along. 06:00 PM Mountain Time.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4221050569?pwd=Z2F2ZDdYbElzY3Y0cWxQYmxoZ0NCdz09&omn=83551784655
Meeting ID: 422 105 0569
Passcode: Authors
Thursday, Dec. 12: Ring the Bells and Blow the Trumpets! Steve Hruza will lead us through our new website, including each member’s new login and personal page where you can post your books, bio, book covers, where your work is sold, etc. This will be a great boon to all, but especially the young writers who will have a web presence as part of their membership dues! Zoom only. 6:00 pm.
Authors of the Flathead New Webpage Reveal, Dec 12, 2024 6:00 PM Mountain Time.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87131390093?pwd=uZ3QqDTTEbqIjHvIlmcV6yai1j5WKk.1
Meeting ID: 871 3139 0093
Passcode: 152294
Thursday, December 19 is our Holiday Potluck. Bring a dish and drink (no alcohol, please) to A-1 Sewing, 140 W Center St, Kalispell, MT 59901. Please remember that some of our members are veg/vegan. We’ll have utensils but if you bring your own to take home and wash, we’ll help the earth a bit. Bring a wrapped book (or two, or three) for the white elephant gift exchange. 6:00 pm.
No further meetings in December.
Happy Holidays or, as I often say, “Merry Christma-Kwanzaa-Hanukka-Solsti-Yule-mas!” See you in 2025!
Craig Naylor, President