The Fair is Saturday, November 12, from 1 to 3pm at the Huntley Library (11000 Ruth Road, Huntley).

11/16/11  Social Networking Strategy
12/15/11  Facebook Beyond the Basics
1/15/12  LinkedIn Basics for Professional
1/24/12  Define Your Social Networking Strategy
1/25/12  Effective Social Networking in Your Job Search
1/29/12  LinkedIn Advanced for Professionals
2/12/12  Facebook Privacy Settings
2/26/12  Effective Time Management
2/29/12  Expand Your Professional Network Using LinkedIn
3/20/12  Facebook Business Pages – Advanced Marketing

Creative writers wanting to share their work with others have an outlet during the 2011-2012 Writers Center Coffee House. The events are held in the Student Resource Center Alumni Room at Elgin Community College, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin.

Coffee houses will be held this fall on Nov. 2. The event is free and all ages are welcome. Refreshments also will be served.

From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. writers read original work, poems, essays, short stories, creative non-fiction or lyrics. Writers have a five-minute block of reading time and are offered informal feedback from the other writers at the conclusion of the readings.

For additional information about the coffee houses or other Writers Center activities, contact Rachael Tecza at 847-214-7578.

Posted by Jerome Ludwig on Mon, Oct 24, 2011 at 9:00 AM

In January the Readerwill publish its 12th Pure Fiction issue—a collection of short stories from local fiction writers paired with illustrations by local artists.

We’re honored that Goldie Goldbloom has agreed to be our guest judge.

We’ll take submissions from now until November 29. Send to fiction@chicagoreader.com. We prefer text pasted into e-mail rather than attachments. To a degree we’re flexible on length, but up to 3,000 words is preferred. We pay for those we publish.

Browse our fiction issue archive, which includes fantastic contributions both from out of the blue and from some names you might recognize.

In order to keep motivation flowing, is there interest in making a weekly date to sit in the general vicinity of each other and write? I was thinking Cafe Firefly looks like a great place to hang out, plus they can use all the business they can get it looks like. Know where they are? They’re on Main Street in Algonquin, across the street from what I think is now a health spa and also Cucina Bella or Bella Cucina. Whichever it is.

Here’s their website.

Last year Carolyn put together her wonderful collection of spider tales for NaNoWriMo. This year I’d like to participate for the first time in a while. I finished it once, maybe five years ago. Back then they didn’t offer to bind the work into an actual book. Now that I know they do that’s incentive to get something accomplished.

In any event, if you’d like to hang out once a week in November to support each other that would be great. We could set up two or three days/times and whoever can come can just show up. If there’s someone there, BONUS! If not, hey, kick back, order coffee and a treat and write away.

As far as my almost total lack of participation in the group, I’ve been given loads of new duties I can’t even keep up with. I’m only part-time but I’ve had heaps more added to my job. Budget cuts, as well as a new administration at the library, are the reasons I’m now doing things I never did before. Add life, reviewing and w hat-not and I’m more busy than I’ve ever been.

BUT.

NaNoWriMo…

Who’s in?

Cafe Firefly:

M – F:  6:00 – 9:00

Sat – Sun: 8:00 – 9:00

Just throwing times out there, how about:

Saturday evenings from 6:00 – 9:00

Sunday afternoons 1:00 – 4:00

Sunday evenings 6:00 – 9:00

Any weeknight 6:00 – 9:00

Come if you can, for any part of this time, and maybe some of us will meet up. Invite friends! Relatives! Strangers you pull off the street! I’m going to blog this and Tweet it via the library’s Twitter account.

Hope to see some of you there! If you want me to meet you at a specific time email me:  lisaguidarini@yahoo.com

Lisa

My presentation on social networking was a hit and I look forward to connecting and continuing the conversation with new friends. Check out my Facebook page for pictures from the weekend.

Writers Anne Stuart and April M. Williams hanging out at the Whtimore Library before the conference

I’ll include your questions and provide a link to the presentation.

WeReward http://we.rw/p1yFb/, a location based service where members can earn cash with their check ins. This free app works on Iphone, Android and Blackberry smartphones. We spent a good part of the day visiting restaurants and stores while checking in and earning cash. Check out the interview today on Channel 2 CBS news.

To learn more about WeReward and how you can get my WeReward tips, visit http://wp.me/p1fzuL-Z8 .

• Lani Diane Rich/Lucy March,“Fueling Your Romance”
• Alastair Stephens, Storywonk Podcasts, “A Man’s Guide to Writing Men, for Women”
• John D. Brown, “Lessons on Story from The Hunger Games”
• Collaborations Panel, “How to work with someone you like and not kill them by the time you write The End”. Panel includes: Sisters, friends, spouses and insights from a mother/daughter writing team.
• Author April M. Williams, CyberLife Tutors , “Connect With the Write Stuff: Using social networking to build contacts, attract readers and sell books”
• Jenni Holbrook-Talty, Who Dares Wins Publishing , “Indie Publishers and Self Publishing”
• Anita Mumm, The Nelson Literary Agency , “Writing Strong Query Letters”
• Haley Stokes, Arch Editing, “POV: Pros and Cons”

Excerpt:

Four Consumers with One Creative Assignment: Bring to life real stories of Vinci, Italy

Applications accepted through May 31st for a week-long experience in Vinci, Italy, where DaVinci wines are created

The Italian wine brand is searching for writers, culinary aficionados, artists and filmmakers to travel to Vinci, Italy — home to the historic Cantine Leonardo Da Vinci, where DaVinci wines are produced — to gather, bring to life, and share stories of the Tuscan town’s dynamic people and place.  Vinci is a small town in the heart of Tuscany made famous by its celebrated son, Leonardo da Vinci. But it’s the stories of today’s Tuscan wine country that DaVinci wines is interested in.

In July, four selected “DaVinci Storytellers” will spend one week in Vinci and will have unparalleled access to rich history from multiple generations of wine grape growers, dynamic culinary experiences with local chefs and insider access to the area’s robust art culture.”

Read more…