WhipCity Wordsmiths Book Show on the Green

 The WhipCity Wordsmiths Book Show on the Green will take place from 11Am to 3PM on the green in the center of Westfield (across from Blue Umbrella Books at 2 Main Street. Set up time for participating authors begins at 10AM. We have until 4PM to clean and clear the Green.

There are 21 authors signed up for this event. Four of these authors are also publishers. A sound system has been offered and accepted and will be available outside of the Gazebo for authors wishing to do Open Mic readings during the run of the vent, thanks to the generosity of Paul Richmond, author, Beat Poet Laureate, and publisher (Human Error Publishing). Another Beat Poet Laureate, Richard Wayne Horton will be sharing the inside of the gazebo with Paul at this event.

Familiar faces at literary events in Westfield will be Susan Buffum, Kelly Buffum, Katherine Anderson, Melissa Volker, Ryan McCarthy, Judith Foard-Giucastro, Glen Ebisch, Ayden Rogalski, Rhonda Boulette, Tom Deady, and Robert W. Thompson. Joining in the event will be new WhipCity Wordsmiths and published authors Grace Kuhn, Jeff Vanoudenhoven, Tenzi Moscato, Luis Manuel Torres, and Mimi Caban. And there'll be more new faces and offerings from Kinga Martin, Wallace Johnson, Elizabeth Macduffie, Richard Wayne Horton, and Paul Richmond.

The range of genres run from children's books to YA, middle grade, manga, mystery, paranormal, literary romance/suspense, horror, dark fantasy, short stories, poetry, lyrical prose, self help, faith, mysticism, history, and ghost stories.

Silver Street Media will have materials available at the WhipCity Wordsmiths table on how they can help new authors and existing authors format, design, publish and distribute their work.

Artworks of Westfield, the sponsor of this show in conjunction with the WhipCity Wordsmiths will also have a table at the event. Artworks is a driving force in the community working to bring the cultural arts to the attention of residents by hosting music, art, literary events, and working on art projects such as the Heroes Are Everywhere mural and the new larger scale mural project along the river, Westfield is Fantastic. Membership information will be available at the table and attendees can donate to help fund the new mural and other Artworks projects planned for 2021 and those we're looking ahead to organizing and hosting in 2022.

Support the the rich history of the Literary Arts in western MA by coming out to show your support of local authors, writers, and poets on May 23rd on the Green in Westfield!

April Meeting Postponed until May 1st

 The April meeting originally scheduled for April 24th has been rescheduled to May 1st. If you have sent your current email to whipcitywordsmiths@gmail.com to be included on the master list of Wordsmiths then you have already received your invitation to the Zoom meeting and the new email with the revised meeting date.

One of the topics to be discussed is Motivation. Since COVID struck and the world practically shut down, it's been difficult for many writers to focus on writing with so much else on their minds. Others of us have spent the downtime churning out new novels and finishing projects that have been languishing. Where does motivation come from and how can you spark something that feels dead and reignite your desire to write and create? We'll explore this during the meeting.

If you want to join the meeting and didn't receive an invite then please send us your email address so you can be included! It's as simple as that!

WRITERS SERIES: Thoughts on Memorial Day

 The next topic for writers who wish to contribute to the The Westfield News' Writers Series is Thoughts on Memorial Day. Word count is 600 words, but can be a little longer or shorter. If a photo is available to accompany the article please include it. Also include a brief author bio and photo is able. Contributions can be emailed to lori.szepelak@icloud.com. The deadline for this topic is May 14th.

All writers who wish to contribute are encouraged to do so. The Westfield News has given the WhipCity Wordsmiths a fabulous opportunity to show our talent to the community, and put our names and faces out there. (The WhipCity Wordsmiths are hosting a Book Show on the Green in downtown Westfield on Sunday, May 23rd21, from 11AM to 3PM. The permit is already in hand. Twenty-one authors (four of whom are also publishers) are onboard for this event sponsored by Artworks of Westfield. The community is getting excited about one of the first outdoor events of this size since the loosening of come SOVID restrictions.

It's possible we may have an opportunity this fall for another show or similar event, or event that combines artists and authors. Discussions are continuing during strategic planning meetings with Artworks. 

The Writers Series is free publicity and a chance to promote yourself and show off your talent, and it gives you a writing credit for your resume!

Come on writers! Do what you do best and write!

REMINDERS: Writers Series Deadline!

 The deadline for this first new topic in the Westfield News Writers Series, Lesson or Lessons Learned During the Pandemic  is Friday, April 9th. Length is 600 words max. If you are writing and submitting a piece please include a brief author bio and photo, or a photo t accompany your piece if one is available. Submissions should be emailed to Lori Szepelak at lori.szepelak@icloud.com  

Writing for this series is unpaid, but there are benefits for the authors/writers who participate in that you get newspaper writing credit you can use on your resume, your name is out there in the public, your bio can promote your books and may lead to sales, it keeps your writing muscle flexed. I've been enjoying writing short pieces, something I am definitely not good at! I've developed a new skill with my writing!

Thank you to all the Wordsmiths who have contributed pieces to the Westfield News for the various Writers Series topics since last fall. It's an honor to be asked to work with the local newspaper to help entertain the community as we receive vaccines, or wait to receive them and look forward to what the future brings.