Abilene Writers Guild – August 24, 2006

President Ginny Green called the meeting to order. The meeting agenda and and page titled "Word Play" was passed out. Barbara Rollins stated the July minutes are posted on our website and available for review.

There were two guests: Katherine and William Galco, son and daughter of new member, Charles Balco. We were reminded that Susan Turner is a new member (since July).

Reminder was made about membership dues. 29 people attended.

Announcements:

Bookmarks and workshop handouts will be available at the Book & Author Festival Sept. 19 to 23. (Diane Lyell wondered out loud if it would be a good idea to provide workshop information to people who teach literature in our local colleges in case students might be interested in the workshop. Several members volunteered to provide the information to the colleges. Barbara Darnall will do HSU and CJC, Chuck Galco will do ACU, Pat Mehaffey will do CJC in Cisco; Jim Johnson will be asked to notify Texas Tech. Who is doing McMurry?) AWG will have a table at the Civic Center on Saturday, Sept. 23.

Nancy briefly discussed the contest entries. 382 have been received. Unfortunately, some of our own members did not follow the rules. A good learning experience for all of us. A new category was suggested: children’s books.

Financial Report: None

Brags and Sags:

• Pat Mehaffey received word that Guideposts has purchased two of her stories; one about miracles of healing and one about miracles of God’s care.
• Barbara Rollins has four photos in the West Texas Photography exhibit at the Center of Contem. Arts. She has updated the "members only" section of the AWG website. (awg.org) She will accept winning entries for the members only section if anyone wants their work on the web.
• Stan Johnson was voted the most read columnist in the Sweetwater newspaper!
• Barbara Sandusky will be doing a column for the Merkel Mail, covering a multitude of things.
• Nancy Masters and Jan Carrington will speak at the Langdon Lit. Conference in Granbury sponsored by Tarleton University in September. (They were contacted because various academic folks read our newsletter and asked them to speak.)
• Jan Carrington, Jo Cox, Ginny Greene and & Diane Lyell have an article and photo printed in the July Texas Co-Op Power Magazine. They printed "every single word we sent them." They were paid $650! Hooray. What a team!
• Jan Carrington also has two stories in Able To. She will have books for sale at the book festival in September. (Becky Haigler also has two stories in the book --- the only two women authors in the book!)
• Pat Johnson was asked to record (on tape or digital?) her autobiography. She decided to write it Instead and says it is a "lot of fun, getting even with a lot of people."

October Workshop: Nancy told us that Dusty Richards will be a very colorful speak for our workshop!

Newsletter Deadline: Send submissions to Barbara Rollins by September 11.

Program:

Nancy led the program for and about us, as writers. We were asked to define the copyright law: if you create it (write it) , you own it. Only ideas and titles cannot be copyrighted. Register your copyright to protect it….but only AFTER you have sold it.

Selling of rights to articles, stories, photos and books were discussed. First rights = first time something you have written appears for public consumption (e.g. yearbook, bulletin, newsletter, magazine, etc.). Also applies to first print and electronic storage rights. Second or reprint rights = second sale. Tell the potential buyer that "this previously appeared in…." All rights = exactly that ---- you sell all your interest in the article, book, story, etc.

Also received a handout on libel and slander; discussed giving attribution or asking permission to quote someone else’s work, along with what is involved in having your work on the internet.

You own something you created for your lifetime plus 50 years, which means it passes to your family under the laws of the state and rules of heirship.

The meeting was adjourned after a good discussion and food for thought. Refreshments were provided by Jim Coleman and Brandon and Sue Davis.


Minutes respectfully submitted by Sharon Ellison, AWG Secretary