Creative Corner--Holiday edition!

'Tis the season for book promotions, holiday studio open-houses, and more! Here's what some of our Creatives have been up to!

"Scintillating Starts" Contest closes December 1

Sponsored by the 20-year-old site Writer Advice, this contest closes soon, and it might be of interest to some of our local writers. 

Submit up to 1,000 words of any unpublished novel, memoir, or other long prose work's opening paragraphs. An entry fee of $15 gives you a chance to see your work win and be showcased, receive constructive comments, share in the prize money, and gain a contest-win credit for your CV or cover letter.

Coordinator B. Lynn Goodwin explains it this way: "Working on a novel, a memoir, or other long prose? Drafting something for NaNoWriMo? Grab and hold us with your opening paragraphs. We’ll read from works in progress as well as finished manuscripts in Writer Advice’s Scintillating Starts Contest. Submit up to 1000 words of any unpublished memoir, novel, or creative nonfiction by 12-01-16."

More details and a "Submit" link are available on the Writer Advice opening page. Email here with questions. 

Announcements from Writers

Robin Wayne Bailey 

“Black Dust,” a story by Robin Wayne Bailey is included in the new anthology, Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Sword and Sorceress 31, edited by Elisabeth Waters. It is available in trade paperback and three standard e-formats.

For over two decades, the late Marion Zimmer Bradley, best-selling and beloved author, discovered and nurtured a new generation of authors. Volume 31 includes stories by Pauline J. Alama, Marian Allen, Robin Wayne Bailey, Lorie Calkins, Steve Chapman, Suzan Harden, Rose Hill, Melissa Mead, Catherine Mintz, Michael H. Payne, Deborah J. Ross, L.S. Patton, Jonathan Shipley, Dave Smeds, Laura Davy, Pam L. Wallace, and Julia H. West.

James K. Burk

You have two ways to enjoy FREE stuff when you order Burk's latest anthology, Mirror, Mirror and Other Reflections, from Amazon. The Kindle version is free with Kindle Unlimited, and free shipping applies with other qualifying offers. 

What's it about? "Fall into the looking glass," the description suggests: Here’s a collection of eerie tales of suspense that will captivate the reader from the very first story. 

Creative friend and Honorary KaCSFFS Member Rob Chilson wrote of the collection, “Smooth entertainment from a born story-teller. Burk’s works are a pleasure to read. He gives you believable people in unbelievable circumstances. This creates an assured tone that tells you to relax, he knows what he’s doing. And you do relax, until he brings out the dentist’s drill. For a good time, read on!” 

K.B. Shaw
KaXFEN may remember K.B. Shaw as the first author featured on our KaCSFFS Reviewers' Reading Circle series last September. Just in time for Christmas, he has a new offer available, via Amazon. His YA novel From the Shadows is available on the Kindle for 99 cents and as a paperback for $9.99. 

What's the story? Set in a peaceful future where a giant corporation has created computers with an AI (artificial intelligence) at their core, a technological innovation threatens to disrupt the world's economy. Two precocious teens find their lives entangled with those of a technology reporter and a former child prodigy in a race toward their destiny--oblivious to the dangers that lie ahead. 

From the Shadows has received high praise from reviewers. Now you (and/or a YA reader of your choice) can enjoy it at a discount.

The Reviewers' Reading Circle returns in January, featuring
P.R. Adams' Momentary Stasis

In December, the KaCSFFS Reviewers' Reading Circle will formally announce that Momentary Stasis by P.R. Adams is our January-March 2017 selection. It is the first in the Rimes Trilogy, a military science fiction series. At the follow-up March meeting, Adams will appear for a live interview via Skype or FaceTime.

As with previous selections, Momentary Stasis will be available for free to all dues-paid KaCSFFS members as a reviewer's copy, in your choice of PDF and two e-book formats. If you download it, that means you are willing to consider writing a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or other venues, including (Please!) The KaCSFFS Blog!

The KaCSFFS Reviewers' Reading Circle is actively seeking a new author to feature, ideally to announce at the March 2017 meeting. We'd like to continue to offer new selections at roughly quarterly or bimonthly intervals after that. What is the Reviewers' Reading Circle? Watch for a Page Tab on the Blog with more details, or scroll back to the October and September meeting posts about the authors we featured then.

'Tis also the Season for Art Open Houses and new prints!
Deb Pellicano
Dec. 4, 2-10 p.m.
The Twelfth Annual (well, almost) Home Studio Art Show is coming soon! Wonderful art by Ladyelf (Debbi Pellicano), great food and drink, mingling, Holiday Cheer, and just a generally good time for everyone. 

Artwork will be for viewing and for sale at 201 SE Topaz Drive, Lee’s Summit, MO 64063. Call 816-522-6197 if you need directions. Please RSVP! Hope to see you there!

Randal Spangler
Dec. 3 & 4 and 10 & 11.  
Randal Spangler will be hosting his Annual Christmas Open House at his home at 610 St. Andrew's Drive, Kansas City, MO 64145.  Come enjoy the season with cookies, coffee, Christmas music and a beautiful Christmas tree! 

There will be new artwork, older pieces and some originals.  Look for his marked down pieces that are "travel-worn."  Saturdays open 10a-5p, Sundays 11a-4p. Park on the street or in the driveway.

Lucy A. Synk
Dec. 10 (11 a.m.-4 p.m.) and 11 (10 a.m.-1 p.m.) 
If you're in the Chicago area, check out the St. Giles Family Mass Community's Holiday Gift and Art Fair at McDonough Hall, 1101 Columbian (2nd floor), in Oak Park, IL. Longtime fantasy artist and former Kansas Citian Lucy A. Synk will be one of 16 artists participating, along with two Fair Trade organizations, Harambee and North Central College Alternative Trade Project (a portion of all sales benefit these organizations). Admission is free.

Keith Russell
Kansas City artist Keith Russell has announced the availability of two new prints.

Arterial Trees (above, copyright 2016 Keith Russell). 8 x 10" prints are $24.00 each, 11 x 14" prints are $40.00 each, via his Synthetic Sky Studios.

The other new print is Becoming (In) Human (at L, also copyright 2016 Keith Russell), acrylics on panel. Prints are the same price: 8 x 10" $24.00, 11 x 14" $40.00, also from Synthetic Sky Studios.

Xenofera Kickstarter campaign is funded!
In the October edition of Creative Corner we shared the announcement from ConQuesT artist Jeff Porter that he and his partner Liz Gattra were launching a Kickstarter campaign for their new strategic science fictional card game Xenofera. They are delighted to announce that the campaign was funded. Pre-orders are now open, via the website, and run through Dec. 31, 2016. Production on the game should be finished and available for purchase this spring.

IMAGES: The "Scintillating Starts" title is from Writer Advice website. The cover for Sword and Sorceress 31 is courtesy of the MZB Works website. The cover image for Mirror, Mirror (art by Brad Foster) is courtesy of publisher Yard Dog Press. The cover art for From the Shadows is courtesy of iPulpFiction. The Momentary Stasis cover is courtesy of the author, P.R. Adams. The Deb Pellicano artwork is courtesy of Dennis Young, via Facebook. Randal Spangler's image The Reading Tree is courtesy of his website. Lucy A. Synk's image Checking it Twice is courtesy of the gallery on her website. The images of Keith Russell's two new prints were provided by the artist. Jeff Porter's "party animals" art is courtesy of the Xenofera Facebook Page. Many thanks to all!

Creative Corner Rises from the (almost) Dead . . .

Updated 10/16/2016
Just in time for Halloween Season! 
It's not that the Creative Friends of KaCSFFS haven't been busy--they definitely have! Unfortunately, your humble editor has had . . . distractions. I'll try not to let it happen again! 

M. C. Chambers

MCC-Longview Literary Festival 
This year's Longview Literary Festival is almost upon us! Located on the Longview Community College campus, 500 SW Longview Road, Lees Summit, MO, this is the 8th annual festival, headed by our own Susan Satterfield, plays host to more than 20 area writers, including M.C. Chambers, Dennis Young, Karin Gastreich, Kristin McTiernan, J.R. Boles, and many others.  Our Keynote Speakers are Latino Writers Collective.  We are also having a special presentation on the history of the poetry slam as well as poetry slam, story in a bag, and art is the word contests.   Admission is free! The hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday, October 21.

The program lineup includes quite a range of interesting topics: (1) The Importance of Research and How to Do It; (2) Creating Culturally Diverse Characters; (3) Writing Creative Non-Fiction; (4) The Impact of Culturally Diverse Writers on Today’s Fiction, Poetry, Music and Scripts; (5) The Importance of Live Readings and How to do it Well: (6) Promoting Your Work in Today’s Publishing World; (7) Writing Poetry with Layered Meaning; (8) You Finished Your Draft. Now What?; (9) Writing for Fun or Profit: Is it a Hobby or Career or Both?; (10) The Power of the Written/Spoken Word; (11) Building Alien Societies; (12) Writing Believable Dialogue; (13) The Future of Short Fiction; (14) Dealing with Writer’s Block; (15) Similarities in Poems/Stories Written by Authors from Different Cultures; (16) Writing Young Adult Fiction. 

Local Artist Randal Spangler is Art Guest of Honor at World Fantasy Con 
Kansas City's own Randal Spangler is one of the headliners at World Fantasy Con in Columbus, OH, October 27-30 this year. This will be Randal's second science fiction convention ever as an attendee, to his recollection. The first was MidAmeriCon II, where he spent most of his time in the Dealers' area. 

Randal's artwork has traveled to sf conventions in previous years, through the efforts of his longtime agent Pascal Gephardt. He also is familiar to fantasy art fans all over the region because of his many appearances as art fairs and the Kansas City and Minnesota Renaissance Festivals.

Sea of Longing, by Deb Pellicano

Recent Gallery Showings by our Artist Friends
As pre-announced last June, Deb Pellicano, a.k.a. Ladyelf Pendarian, participated in Fourth Friday at Blue Heron Design in Lee's Summit on August 26, 2016. She also was involved in a showing of "Artists in the Alley." She posted a photo of her display on her Facebook Page.

The artwork of Christopher Vaughan Frye was featured at Gallery 504 in the Kansas City Crossroads on First Friday, September 2, 2016. 

See more of his work on his Facebook Page. His work also recently was displayed in Johnson County, KS, at the Young Adult section of the Central Resource Center of the Johnson County Library in Overland Park, KS.

Several paintings by Christopher Vaughn Frye, 
at the Central Resource Library, Johnson County, KS.

Throughout the month of September, artwork by Creative Friends of KaCSFFS Mitchell Bentley, David Lee Pancake, Keith Russell, and Ray VanTilburg was on display in a joint museum show in Decatur, IL. 

It was held by the Decatur Arts Council, at the Madden Arts Center in Decatur, IL The show Otherworldly: Sci-Fi and Fantasy, features works from 11 artists in all. It was sponsored by Busey Bank. Many thanks to Mitch Bentley for calling this to our attention!

Mitchell Bentley's To Catch a Fairy was a featured image in the Decatur show. 

In addition to exhibiting work in the Decatur show, Kansas City artist Keith Russell announced an offering of these two images as limited edition prints. L-R: Open Mind, and Open Mind, Too.

Xenofera Game Launches Oct. 4
Recent ConQuesT artist and MidAmeriCon II exhibitor Jeff Porter, with partner and co-creator Liz Gattra, launched a Kickstarter campaign for their new card game Xenofera, this month.

You could capture a Diamond-
Crested Peacock.

As Porter described it in his email, "Xenofera is a strategic card game where players must recruit a crew, build cages and then use their crew and cages to capture alien creatures (Xenofera).  The player with the most valuable collection of Xenofera at the end of the game wins. 

"But keeping the creatures you've caught is not easy.  Other players can sabotage your expedition by stealing your cages and creatures or enticing away your crew members.  You may need to battle them to keep what you've worked so hard to obtain.

Aaron Hollingsworth's new project is
part of this volume.

"Xenofera can support from 2 to 5 players with an average play time of 30 to 75 minutes, roughly 15 minutes per player." 

New Book Releases 
Hybrid Classes Volume 2
Still on the "game" front, Aaron Hollingsworth has announced his first "non-indie" work. He is a contributor to an upcoming RPG supplement, the creator of the Dimensionist Hybrid Class for Wayward Rogues Publishing. As the website describes this class, "The Dimensionist refolds reality with arcane spells, tamed wild talents, and sinister distortions. With the aid of an aberrant familiar, she invokes strange geometry to warp space and matter in horrific ways." 

Little Green Men--Attack!
The Amazon page for Little Green Men--Attack! is now live and open for pre-orders. This humorous anthology is a joint project between Robin Wayne Bailey and Bryan Thomas Schmidt. The Amazon page describes the project this way: "When Little Green Men Attack, It's All-out Laugh Warfare. 

"From the far reaches of outer space they come--inscrutable aliens, malicious invaders, wacky tourists from another planet--to conquer, study, and tickle us. 

"From the battlefields of the Ozarks to the marble halls of the Boston Library, from Central Park to the skies above Washington, on the moon, and in the seediest bars of Kansas City--they're here. But do they really know who they're up against? Not hardly!" 

Read a full list of authors and other information (or feel free to pre-order the book) at its Amazon page. The book officially launches on March 7, 2017.

I Am a Wondrous Thing--The World of Shijuren Book 3 
Indie author Rob Howell has announced the release of his new book, I Am a Wondrous Thing--The World of Shijuren Book 3. 

This book shifts to a broader stage from the first two books, which mostly followed the career of the honorable but frequently-frustrated Edward Aethelredson. 

Now war looms, and although Irina Ivanovna, ruler of Periaslavl, has magic to her body young, she is tired. She steps down and seeks a quieter route to use her magic, in the hope that she can stem the bloodshed. But unexpected foes stalk her. They know her magic is more important than she thinks. 

Howell is at Time Eddy in Wichita, KS on October 14-16. He also will be at World Fantasy Con in Columbus, OH, October 27-30.

IMAGES: Many thanks to M. C. Chambers for her author photo; to Randal Spangler's website for his header image; to Deb Pellicano, Christopher Vaughan Frye, and Keith Russell/Synthetic Sky Studios (via their Facebook pages) for the images of their artwork. Many thanks to Mitchell Bentley for the photo of To Catch a Fairy, and to Jeff Porter for sending me the Xenofera images. The cover photo for Hybrid Classes Vol. 2 is courtesy of Aaron Hollingsworth. The cover photo for Little Green Men--Attack! is from a Facebook post by Bryan Thomas Schmidt, via Diana J. Bailey. The cover image for I am a Wondrous Thing is courtesy of Amazon.