Abilene Writers Guild Meeting Minutes
Center for Contemporary Arts Building
June 26, 2003
Vice President John Busby called the meeting to order.
Treasurer Gail McMillan reported $2,222.10 with all workshop and luncheon bills paid.
Minutes from the May meeting were approved as posted on the AWG website.
Members introduced their guests, and shared their Brags and Sags.
Jan Carrington read letters of appreciation from contest entrants who appreciated how the contest was run. The contest produced new members for the Guild.
Karen Witemeyer announced that Family Christian Stores has issued a callout for stories for Hearts Minds and Souls. Details are on their website www.familychristian.com
Nancy Masters announced that Joan and Steve Neubauer, two of the featured workshop speakers, sent the Guild a gift. Vice President Busby opened the gift, a teddy bear holding flowers. The bear was awarded as a door prize at the end of the meeting.
Nancy also reminded the group that August is the cutoff date for the newsletter. No newsletter goes to any member who has not paid dues by the end of August.
Nancy Masters presented the program. She handed out copies of four of the first place winning entries: "Juarez" by Joe Post; "Essie May's Kut & Kurl" by JoAnn Horn; "Chimney Corner Justice" by Sue Long Turner; and The Sex Hex by Gwen Choate. All present served as an editorial board to determine which of the submissions our "magazine" would publish. Members read the submissions, and each author or author's representative argued on behalf of the submission. After several minutes of argument and discussion, the Editorial Board voted a tie between "Juarez" and "Essie May". If we were publishing a magazine, both manuscripts would appear in an upcoming issue.
Nancy explained that every publication has an editorial board consisting of legal, marketing, budget and an editorial recommendation. Each member of the board has equal veto power. A manuscript must make it through each department before acceptance for publication. This is true whether the manuscript is a book or magazine article. Magazines just go faster than books.
Members swapped books they no longer wanted or needed for those they do want and need. The meeting adjourned and refreshments were served.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Wynn Craig, Secretary
July 1, 2003