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Insight into the behind the scenes of my writing, exciting news, project updates, and release information.
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Creepy nights and frosty mornings.

 

Autumn is officially here, the nights are getting cooler and colours are beginning to dot the trees. The smell of wood smoke occasionally wafts through the air and we think of creature comforts. This a great time of year to slow down, to add more relaxation to your life. As the season changes, schedule some evening reading time. Try to catch up on your reading list and to yourself.

News
Test Readers Needed... 

...The test readers have been found and the short story collection is almost ready to be tested. This will hopefully become your Halloween favorite.

Contests (Results!)

As always, Summer is a hotly contested time of year, causing pens to start scratching on pads all over. My pen is no different than the others, here is a list of competitions I am waiting or will be waiting to hear back from. Of course I will share any results as they come in.
  • Flash Fiction Challenge Round 1, 2017 - Entry, The World's Doorstep (4 pts.)
  • Flash Fiction Challenge Round 2, 2017 - Entry, The Long Game (1 pts.)
  • Pitch Wars - Entry, Project Persyphious (DNQ)
  • Asthetica Magazine Short Story Challenge - Entry, The Word's Doorstep
  • Vallum Magazine Poetry Competition, Entry, 2 poems Falling and From Above (Not Listed)
  • Zoetrope: All-Story Short Fiction, (Entry: The Price of Fame)
  • American Zoetrope Screenplay Contest, (Did not enter.)
Round two of the Flash Fiction Challenge has come and gone. As usual, I had a tough challenge ahead of me. My prompts were: Crime Caper, Driving Range, and Salmon Filet. I created, The Long Game, which can be read on my website. The story placed 15th out of 31, gaining 1 point. My point total was not high enough to carry on into round 3, but congratulations to all that did.



Halloween Contest

Congratulations to Samantha Coppola and Dennis Angel on winning my Halloween Name Contest. The main characters in my new serial short story will be named Samantha and Dennis! Follow me on Wattpad to read the short story, In The Shadows, and be sure to enter the Prechna Design Contest. Details on my website.
Test reading to start mid November.
Projects On The Go

The Great Outdoor Adventure of Tiny Teddy is getting closer and closer to being illustrated. *Hurricanes, tropical storms, and life have slowed the progress for the illustrations. More info coming next newsletter.*

Being a writer allows for all kinds of wonderful opportunities, often times they cannot be discussed for days, weeks, months, or even years. As is the current situation. Just know there are some very fun projects coming up...

Look for more details coming soon on my story about a coffee farmer and how he is planning on bringing the world's best coffee to Ottawa, as well as a short film being shot in Islamabad, Pakistan which I have been consulting on.
 
Recommendations of the month:

Support Local Writers:

Go to your local bookstore, big chain or small independent, and ask for their local author section. Every city has very talented writers hidden away, hoping someone will find them. You could be missing a future best seller without knowing it. Think global, support local.

Book Challenge 2017:

Each year I set a goal for how many books I will read. Last year I did not hit my goal, yet this year I am already deep into my challenge. In 2017 my goal is to read 26 books. I have found a fun list which makes this goal easier to attain. Each book is a challenge, for example, a book you can read in a day or a book with over 500 pages. So far I am into my seventh book and will keep track of them here so they may serve as suggestions. Follow me on Litsy or Goodreads to read my reviews of each book.

6 of 26: A book written by someone who is not a writer.
Rest in Power - Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin

7 of 26: A non-fiction book.
Born a Crime - Trevor Noah

8 of 26: A book someone else recommended to you.
The Te of Piglet - Benjamin Hoff

9
of 26: A book set in your hometown.
Mythical Mufferaw - Bernie Bedore

10 of 26: A book set somewhere you will be visiting this year.
Scotty the Pike - Bernie Bedore

Tip of the month: Zooniverse.org

Zooniverse remains the tip of the month, due to big news! All the volunteers parsing before and after satellite images for Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands were able to go through 3 years of full time work in 3 weeks. The data we parsed was used to create heat maps which are still being used by emergency rescue teams. This proves if we all do a little, we can make a huge difference.

A current project helps chimpanzees by analyzing hidden camera footage. Go to Zooniverse.org to see how you can help.

Other projects on Zooniverse...
  • Help measure astronomical data
  • Help conserve wildlife
  • Transcribe historical documents (Civil War journals, Shakespeare journals, etc.
  • Count bees and help protect them
  • Track animal migrations
  • Many other fun and fascinating tasks
What to share the Calm Scribe Newsletter? Go ahead! Please forward this message to anyone who might be interested.
 
Don't forget, your local library can be a great resource. When was the last time you visited?

That is it for this month's newsletter, thank you for your continued support.

Travis J. Croken

Have a suggestion for the recommendation of the month? Email me at travis.croken@me.com.
 
The days are getting colder, frost is starting to lay its deadly embrace on our gardens. From spiders to humans, we all seek safety and warmth. Stay cozy.
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