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"Will I See You in September...

or lose you, to a summer love?" This song was originally recorded by the Tempos in 1959, the year I was born! No wonder I swoon every time I hear it . . . my sensory memories explode with Coppertone on hot skin, soft sand on a scratchy old Army blanket (I can still feel and smell Dad's old brown wool blanket he'd spread out for the family to eat our PB&Js on), transistor radios blasting Beach Boys and Beatles, waves crashing on the shore of Nantasket Beach . . . I'm all misty now!


"The blanket" with our Mum and her five girls. I'm the sexy one with the yellow bow and the terrycloth coverup! Everyone else in my family tanned. I fried.

Just listen to this YouTube rendition of See You In September by "The Happening" in 1966, and after listening and watching (you just won't believe the dope moves these young heartthrobs throw down), I dare you to try to get this song out of your head! And why would you even want to?

This has been an unusual September in many ways, one of them being my decision to enroll in Jeff Runyon's Creative Writing class at CMC (Colorado Mountain College Leadville Campus). Seeing all those back-to-school items on store shelves inspired me to become a student again, and with three classes under my belt, I'm delighted with my decision. We're never too old to learn new tricks, right?

And round two of the Flash Fiction Contest I entered will deliver a genre, an item, and a location for me to incorporate into a story at midnight tonight (I'll have till midnight Sunday to complete my story). Round one was a blast. If you want to hear the story I created with the requirements ghost story, a bottle of champaign, and an aquarium, become my patron for a paltry $3/mo and get exclusive access to "Wet Dreams" and five other short stories I've created this year!

Even if you don't enroll in any classes this year, please do try to learn something new each month. It'll keep you excited about getting out of bed each day (which will soon become more difficult for me as winter looms around the corner in Leadville)!
 
UPCOMING (and some past) EVENTS!
  • Monday, September 17, from 9-noon at the Buena Vista Public Library, Jennifer Sweete will host a WEWrite session for Chaffee County Writers Exchange about the topic:  "A Funny Thing Happened on My Way to the WE Write" . . . Tricks to inserting humor into any genre of writing. We'll write till our funny bones ache from laughter! Get ready for some plot twisting fun! Consider becoming a member of CCWE! There are many benefits, and membership costs a pittance!
  • Wednesday, September 19th, at 7 p.m. upstairs in the Lake County Public Library, Randi Samuelson-Brown will talk about the legendary State Street and all the goings-on back in the day! She'll also have her fabulous book The Beaten Territory available. I've heard her speak and can't wait to hear more! You will be greatly entertained! Tickets are free, but there are only 75 seats, so claim your tickets NOW from the library!
  • October 19-21 Diane Smith (a.k.a. D.R. Kiss) and I will attend MileHiCon at the Hyatt Regency Hotel--Denver Tech Center! Come visit us and chat about SciFi/Fantasy!

I love my morning walk up East 7th Street in Leadville with my buddy John!

AUTHOR/BLOGGER/PODCASTER NEWS!
(let me know if you have literary news you'd like to share)

 
I mentioned Paul Thaler's Bronxland in an earlier newsletter and am looking forward to interviewing him on October 1st. Even though I didn't grow up in the Bronx, I believe his novel explores universal middle school themes that will resonate with anyone who's been there! Woven throughout is the story of a missing boy, and while I won't tell you how it ends, I will tell you that I devoured this engaging, entertaining book. Bronxland comes out in hardcover tomorrow! It's a keeper.

My West Point classmate Sara Potecha has just finished her first book West Point Woman: How Character is Created and Leadership is Learned. It's available for pre-order now (for an October 15th release), and I'll be interviewing Sara on October 2nd!

Howard Levine’s new novel, "Last Gasp, is very topical given today’s politics. In a time when many people feel that they have no influence over the direction America has taken, Last Gasp presents the story of two brothers, 'ordinary people' who are forced by events to undertake a perilous mission with serious implications for the nation. Political overtones aside, the novel is at heart a thriller, with plenty of twists and turns. It’s also a family drama, in which personal tragedy forces Frank and Rob Tedeschi to overcome their long-term estrangement, to endeavor to prove the truth about a deadly terrorist attack." Howard's book will be available from Amazon after September 22nd, so check it out! I haven't read it yet (my "stack" is at least as high as yours!), but I'm looking forward to interviewing Howard in early November! Stay tuned.

I'm also interviewing June Trop today! She is the author of the Miriam bat Isaac Mystery series and From Lesson Plans to Power Struggles (aimed at new middle school teachers). Watch and listen to our visit early next week (I'll do my best to post it on Monday), and let me know what you think!

Sherry Ficklin has a new killer series (I've heard it's a killer new series)! Pre-order Demons Lie now and watch for more to come from this prolific best-selling author!

And if you're the curious type, check out all the literary award winners at this year's CIPA EVVY Awards celebration HERE! Many authors I've highlighted in previous newsletters have earned high praise from this prestigious organization. See what CIPA can do for you and consider becoming a member this year! Find out why HERE.

 

 


Have you checked out my weekly podcast Alligator Preserves lately? I think you'll really enjoy my interview with my husband, Mike, On Sacrifice and Suffering and So Much More, my visits with an 85-year-old Leadville native and a Silver Queen, and a story about pack burro racing!

I've also recorded six short stories I've written, and if you'd like to hear them--and one new story per month (for as long as I can produce them!)--I humbly ask for your $3/month patronage on Patreon. It's easy and painless to become a patron, and I will love you forever. I'll love you forever regardless, but I'll love you with bonus stories each month if you become my patron.

:)
Looking for hot Writing Tips? Check HERE
Please send me some of your own and I'll credit you in my list!

The podcast link above is brought to you by ME, and I'm a one-woman operation! Please share it with anyone you think might enjoy what I offer each week, and become my patron. Find out how--and what rewards you will earn for being my patron--HERE! Spoiler alert: Patrons of $3/month or more will have exclusive access to a new short story I'll write and narrate every month! It'll be like buying me one gluten free brownie every month, but you won't have to deliver it (or watch me eat it)!
Please let me know if you're participating in any awesome writing contests and if you have any personal writing/publishing news you'd like to share!

Be kind to yourself.
Laurel
(here's a link to all of my books, available in paperback and Kindle. When you purchase a paperback, you will always get a free Kindle download!)
Copyright © 2018 Laurel McHargue, All rights reserved.


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