Local Writers Extras

Meet the 2023 Writers Conference Presenter: Darlene Jerome

When Darlene Jerome offered to present a lecture at this year’s Writers Conference on how to write your own obituary, we were immediately intrigued! Writing your own obituary is a great writing exercise. At first you may feel uncomfortable writing about yourself, but a few moments of reflection reveal your personal history is rich with stories and inspiration for characterization. 

Darlene Jerome has long been an advocate of writing your own story so future generations have an accurate account of your life. After all, no one knows your life as well as you do. Darlene is the past president of the Johnson County Genealogy Society (JCGS). For eight years, she was the editor of the Johnson County Kansas Genealogist, a 32-page quarterly publication by JCGS. Darlene currently facilitates the society’s Special Interest Writing Group. The group attendees focus on writing their own life stories in small chunks or their ancestors’ stories.

We are thrilled to have Darlene on faculty for the 2023 Writers Conference. You can register for the conference here. Registration isn’t required but is appreciated, and your RSVP includes both days of the conference, Nov. 3 and 4. Sessions are available on a first-come first-serve basis. We will also be hosting a Writers Conference Kickoff on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Meet the 2023 Writers Conference Presenter: Anna Madrigal

We are thrilled to have Johnson County Library’s very own Anna Madrigal at this year’s Writers Conference. Anna is a library branch manager who has dabbled in poetry, prose, and creative nonfiction since her teenage years. The written word has always offered her a way to explore and process the chaotic, bittersweet world we all find ourselves in. 

I’m especially excited to have Anna at the conference because she is my branch manager. Over the past several years Anna has guided and encouraged me and our team through some big challenges and changes. She’s always a friendly face and a supportive listener.

Anna will be providing a drop-in activity at this year’s conference: Metaphor Dice! This writing tool is a fun way to experiment with language and come up with surprising combinations to spice up your writing. If you’ve never tried using these fun dice, make sure to stop by Anna’s table during the conference!

You can register for the conference here. Registration isn’t required but is appreciated, and your RSVP includes both days of the conference, Nov. 3 and 4. Sessions are available on a first-come first-serve basis. We will also be hosting a Writers Conference Kickoff on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Inspired by this year’s conference book, By the Book: Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review, we asked Anna a few questions to get to know her better:

1. What's in your TBR pile? 

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas  (I know, I'm so behind on this one!)

2. What are you reading right now? 

Thin Skin by Jenn Shapland

3. Do you have a favorite book you love to recommend? 

I'll never not have Hanya Yanagihara's A Little Life in my mind, although I only recommend it to those who like very, very dark subject matter.

4. Do you have a favorite bookstore?

Prospero'sDusty Bookshelf (Lawrence), and BLK + BRWN

 

Meet the 2023 Writers Conference Presenter: Claudia Recinos

Do you give yourself permission to be a writer?

Claudia Recinos has been filling up notebooks with her writing since she was a kid, but it wasn’t until she was an adult pursuing a PhD in Biochemistry that she finally gave herself permission to choose writing as her career.

Claudia Recinos is the author of three novels for young adults; her most recent book Catch Me If I Fall came out in April of this year. She mostly writes “hi-lo” stories (high interest subject, low reading difficulty) for young readers who want shorter chapters and straightforward language. Claudia is a first generation Guatemalan American and grew up in Miami. It’s important to her to have Latinx characters because, as she said in her Voyage KC interview, “making young adults feel seen and validated is one of the things I’m most proud of.” She now calls Kansas City home and when she’s not writing she loves to explore the city with her husband and two sons.

You won’t want to miss out on her lecture “Plotting Stories in Verse” at this year’s conference where she gives an overview of the differences between a verse novel and a conventional novel, and how these differences affect plot structure and storytelling. And if you get a chance, ask Claudia about her love of trapeze. No, seriously! When she’s not writing, Claudia enjoys flying through the air on a trapeze, as well as spending time with her family.

You can find Claudia and her books on her website.

You can register for the 2023 Writers Conference here. Registration isn’t required but is appreciated, and your RSVP includes both days of the conference, Nov. 3 and 4. Sessions are available on a first-come first-serve basis. We will also be hosting a Writers Conference Kickoff on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Inspired by this year’s conference book, By the Book: Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review, we asked Claudia a few questions to get to know her better:

1. What's in your TBR pile?

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 2. What are you reading right now? 

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

3. Do you have a favorite book you love to recommend? 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen owns my heart

4. Do you have a favorite bookstore? 

I just moved to KC last year, so I'm still getting my bearings. When in doubt, I go to Bookshop.org.

5. Answer the question you wish we had asked. 

Q: What do you love most about being a writer A: Getting to write my daydreams down on paper and share them with the world.

 

Meet the 2023 Writers Conference Presenter: L.S. Moore

What do The Godfather Part III, Supernatural fanfiction, and cemeteries have in common? Our faculty presenter L.S. Moore! 

L.S. Moore didn’t grow up planning to become a writer. She studied theater (and was an extra in Coppola’s The Godfather Part III.) While traveling around the world and working different jobs, she developed a deep appreciation for cemeteries and their rich histories. She also developed a love of the TV show Supernatural and wrote fanfiction inspired by the show that caught the attention of hundreds of followers—and her story even won an award! She hasn’t stopped writing ever since.

Moore is a longtime member of the Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators as well as a member of the Heartland Writers for Kids and Teens group. Most recently she published the first novel in a YA trilogy, BridgeKeeper. Though her writing tends to include paranormal elements, the main sources of inspiration for her writing are the adventures of her two sons. 

L.S. Moore will be presenting four different sessions at our Writers Conference this year! On Friday, she will facilitate two workshops: “Writing Monsters” and “From Fanfiction to Fantastic Originals.” On Saturday, she will provide a presentation called “Cemeteries: They’re Not Just for Ghost Stories,” as well as a workshop on the fine art of navigating critique groups.

You can catch up with L.S. Moore on her website here.

You can register for the conference here. Registration isn’t required but is appreciated, and your RSVP includes both days of the conference, Nov. 3 and 4. Sessions are available on a first-come first-serve basis. We will also be hosting a Writers Conference Kickoff on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Inspired by this year’s conference book, By the Book: Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review, we asked L.S. a few questions to get to know her better: 

  1. What's in your TBR pile? 

The Shuddering City by Sharon Shinn

A Lesson in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Myrtle, Means, and Opportunity by Elizabeth C. Bunce

  1. What are you reading right now? 

96 Miles by J. L. Esplin

Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey

  1. Do you have a favorite book you love to recommend?

I can never recommend just one.

  1. Do you have a favorite bookstore? 

All the brave indies. Each one has it's own personality.

5. Answer the question you wish we had asked.

Page After Page by Heather Sellers, the book that gave me the courage to "come out" as a writer.

Meet the 2023 Writers Conference Presenter: Mary-Lane Kamberg

Mary-Lane Kamberg has been a published author for most of her life: she was published at the young age of seven! She used a toy printing press to create a neighborhood newspaper and sold it for just two cents each. She eventually earned her first dollar for her poetry just two years later at the age of nine. 

Since then, Mary-Lane has published over 30 books for young readers in middle school and high school. Additionally, she has published hundreds of articles and essays, poetry, and some short fiction. Her books include  The I Love to Write Book: Ideas and Tips for Young Writers, The I Don't Know How to Cook Bookand Homegrown in the OzarksShe has a BS in Journalism from the University of Kansas and is currently the co-leader of the Kansas City Writers Group. She lives in Olathe, KS.

We are so pleased that Mary-Lane will be teaching two lectures at this year’s Writers Conference. One lecture will be on humor writing, and the other lecture will address how to write a great opener (regardless of genre.) You can register for the conference here. Registration isn’t required but is appreciated, and your RSVP includes both days of the conference, Nov. 3 and 4. Sessions are available on a first-come first-serve basis. We will also be hosting a Writers Conference Kickoff on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Inspired by this year’s conference book, By the Book: Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review, we asked Mary-Lane a few questions to get to know her better:

 1. What's in your TBR pile? 

Bridge of Clay by Marcus Zusak

2. What are you reading right now? 

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

3. Do you have a favorite book you love to recommend? 

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

Blue Highways by William Least-Heat Moon

 

Meet the 2023 Writers Conference Presenter: Meet Joaquín Zihuatanejo

We are thrilled to announce that Dallas Poet Laureate and World Poetry Slam champion Joaquín Zihuatanejo will be joining us for the 2023 Writers Conference! Joaquín will be our keynote speaker at the Conference Kickoff event on November 2nd, he will lead poetry and revision workshops during both days of the Conference November 3rd and 4th, and he will also host the Johnson County Library Writers Conference Poetry Slam Championship to close out a weekend of writing fun.

Joaquín was born and raised in East Dallas and his work is reflective of the Chicano culture he grew up with, particularly life in the barrio. He’s been called, “one of the most dynamic and passionate performance poets in the country, melding equal parts comedy, poetry, and dramatic monologue into a crowd-pleasing display of verbal fireworks… always thrilling, Joaquín’s hilariously manic presentation is full of compassion and nuance, never sacrificing substance for style.” 

Not only is he a National Poetry Slam Finalist, he also holds several other impressive titles: a Grand Slam Spoken Word Champion, HBO Def Poet, world-renowned teacher, performer, poet, and husband to his beloved wife, Aída.

We asked Joaquín a few questions to get to know him better:

1. What's in your TBR pile? 

The Misfit's Manifesto by Lidia Yuknavitch 

2. What are you reading right now? 

The Seven Good Years by Edgar Keret 

3. Do you have a favorite book you love to recommend? 

Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon 

4. Do you have a favorite bookstore? 

Deep Vellum Books followed closely by the original Half Price Books both in Dallas, Texas.

5. Answer the question you wish we had asked.

First book that I read that looked and sounded like me and my familia: Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

We look forward to seeing you Nov. 2-4 to write, network, and talk books with us! You can register to attend the Nov. 2 Kickoff with Joaquín here with  and you can register for both days of the Writers Conference here. For the Conference, your RSVP is for both days and sessions will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. We look forward to seeing you there! 

 

 

 

Meet the 2023 Writers Conference Presenter: Elle Jackson

Elle Jackson is a champion of the powerful impact of writing and reading fiction, and she knows fictional stories can be excellent tools to chip away at inequities and destroy barriers. You might remember her interview for The Pitch in 2021, where she shared her experience as the first Black author to be published in Harlequin Historical’s line of romance novels.

Jackson primarily writes romance with a historical bent. Her novel A Blues Singer to Redeem Him is set in Kansas City and is the first book in Harlequin Historical’s line of romance novels to be written by a Black author. The novel is set in the 1920s during the prohibition era in Kansas City, and the main character is a Black female blue singer who survived the Tulsa Massacre.

Elle was born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas. She has a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Baker University, an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Pittsburg State University. Teaching excellence and having a positive impact in her community are both paramount to Jackson, and she is currently a principal in her hometown of Kansas City. While Elle Jackson fulfills many roles (educator, writer, real estate professional) her most important roles are wife and mom to her two kiddos. 

You can find more about Elle and her books on her website here

We are thrilled to have Elle on our conference faculty this year! She will be presenting two sessions: “Romancing History” and “Writing Atmospheric Stories.” You can register for the conference here. Registration isn’t required but is appreciated, and your RSVP includes both days of the conference, Nov. 3 and 4. Sessions are available on a first-come first-serve basis. We will also be hosting a Writers Conference Kickoff on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Inspired by this year’s conference book, By the Book: Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review, we asked Elle a few questions to get to know her better:

1. What's in your TBR pile?

The Coven by Harper Woods; 

The Never King Series by Nikki St. Crowe

2. What are you reading right now? 

The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith

3. Do you have a favorite book you love to recommend? 

The Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson

 Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham

 Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

 Dread Nation by Justina Ireland and Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland

4. Do you have a favorite bookstore? 

Willa's Books and Vinyl

5. Answer the question you wish we had asked

What book do you want to write next? I want to write a series that focuses on historical reimagining with a main character who is fearless but falls for someone and finally allows someone to take care of her.

 

Meet the 2023 Writers Conference Presenter: Kelly Yarbrough

Kelly Yarbrough is an artist in Manhattan, KS who mainly works with mixed media drawing. The Great Plains and prairie ecosystems have a special place in her heart, and their inspiration is evident in her work. Kelly has an MFA from Kansas State University.  She is a Regional Field Representative and Art & Environment specialist for the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, a facilitator for Artist INC, a trained Konza Prairie docent, and a 2021TEDx Austin College speaker.

Kelly loves meaningful conversations inspired by creativity and loves collaborating with other artists. We asked Kelly if she would be interested in collaborating with Traci Brimhall to illustrate the poetry walk that Traci is creating for the Library to coincide with the Writers Conference this year. The partnership between Kelly and Traci turned out to be a fascinating and dynamic relationship where both artists inspired each other in unique ways. We are really looking forward to not only seeing the poetry walk that Traci and Kelly have created, but we are also excited for their panel discussion about their collaboration at this year’s Writers Conference. The poetry walk will be available at Strang Park, located just behind the Central Resource Library, this upcoming November.

You can find more about Kelly and her artwork on her website here.

You can register for the Writers Conference here. Registration isn’t required but is appreciated, and your RSVP includes both days of the conference, Nov. 3 and 4. Sessions are available on a first-come first-serve basis. We will also be hosting a Writers Conference Kickoff on Thursday, Nov. 2. 

Meet the 2023 Writers Conference Presenter: Dennis Etzel, Jr

Dennis Etzel, Jr is a Senior Lecturer of English at Washburn University, where he has been teaching since 2007. He is a neuroqueer poet and Topeka native, where he lives with his wife and sons. Poetry and inclusion are near and dear to Dennis’s heart, as you can see in his poetic memoir My Secret Wars of 1984 which was selected by The Kansas City Star as Best Poetry Book in 2015. His collection of poetry, Fast-Food Sonnets, was a 2017 Kansas Notable Book. 

Dennis has been described as an encouraging and enthusiastic teacher who intentionally provides a safe space for all, no matter if someone is an undergrad student or a veteran workshop attendee. His understanding of the important relationship between creativity and connection is another reason we are so excited to have Dennis at the conference this year. In past interviews he has said that he hopes his writing sparks conversation, and that is exactly what we hope to do at the Writers Conference: provide a space for inspiration and conversation for local writers. 

You can catch up with Dennis on his website here.

You can register for the Writers Conference here. Registration isn’t required but is appreciated, and your RSVP includes both days of the conference, November 3rd and 4th. Sessions are available on a first-come first-serve basis. We will also be hosting a Writers Conference Kickoff on Thursday, November 2nd.

Inspired by this year’s conference book, By the Book: Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from The New York Times Book Review, we asked Dennis a few questions to get to know him better:

 1. What's in your TBR pile?

Top three on my stack: Valkyrie Poetics by Swanee Astrid, Valley of the Many-Colored Grasses by Ronald Johnson, and A Sand Book by Ariana Reines

 2. What are you reading right now? 

I am currently reading The Book of Stolen Images by Laura Lee Washburn

3. Do you have a favorite book you love to recommend? 

So many favorite books, but AMANDA PARADISE: Resurrect Extinct Vibration by CA Conrad is one I recommend this year.

4. Do you have a favorite bookstore? 

My favorite bookstore is Round Table Bookstore which can be found in the NOTO Arts District in Topeka. A family of four run the store and they sell new and used books. It is so amazing--a visit as part of a perfect evening spent in NOTO

5. Answer the question you wish we had asked.

I am currently writing a hybrid non-fiction book titled At the Movies for health and Healing which collages memoir, research on film theory, and mythology as those stories that represent reality--that films give us a contemporary mythos to inform our lives and heal through experiencing.

 

 

Open Mic Night

Johnson County Library is teaming up with Bear Necessities Coffee Bar (9609 W 87th St, Overland Park, KS 66212) to bring you an Open Mic from 6:30–7:30 p.m. on the 4th Friday of every month. Bring poems, short stories, essays, and excerpts to share on the stage. Or come just to listen. We’ll feature readings from our contest winners and the rest of the time is for you.

August's event is on Friday Aug. 25, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Sign up at the event, 3-minute limit.