Traverse City Record-Eagle

Life

October 25, 2009

Books In Brief: 10/25/2009

Bellaire author launches Santa book

BELLAIRE -- "The Elves in Santa's Workshop" is the third in a series of Christmas books by national award-winning author Jeffery L. Schatzer, of Bellaire.

A launch party will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Sassy Sunflower in Bellaire. Some of the book's elves will be there, children are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes and a free lunch will be served.

The photos in the book are by Don Rutt, of Traverse City; illustrations by Ty Smith and design by Mark Bush, both of Midland, make it a "totally Michigan-made book," Schatzer said.

"While the story of 'The Elves in Santa's Workshop' is about how Santa and the elves came to live and work together at the North Pole, the message is about treating each other kindly regardless of our differences," Schatzer said.

Schatzer's other Christmas books include "The Bird in Santa's Beard" (2004) and "The Bump on Santa's Noggin" (2006). He is also the author of "The Runaway Garden" (2007), which won three national awards.

"The Elves in Santa's Workshop" is published by Big Belly Books of Bellaire. It's available at Horizon Books and other local bookstores for $19.95. For more information, go to www.bigbellybooks.com.

Crime writers can get tips on narrative

TRAVERSE CITY -- Registration is due Nov. 5 for a crime writing workshop.

"The Narrative Arc of Crime" workshop will be led by author Mardi Link and is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 14 at Northwestern Michigan College's Oleson Center, Room A.

The cost is $20 for members of Michigan Writers and $25 for non-members. A registration form and more information is available at www.michwriters.org.

Chapbook entry period is open

TRAVERSE CITY -- Submissions are being accepted for the Michigan Writers Cooperative Press Chapbook Contest.

Two publication awards are given annually by Michigan Writers for collections of poetry, short fiction or creative nonfiction. Publication is open to all members of Michigan Writers who have not had a book published by either a juried or commercial press in a literary genre.

Sselected authors share costs and marketing responsibilities and will read from their work at an April reception. Last years' winners included Jaime Delp, of Interlochen, for poetry; Jenny Robertson for fiction; and Teresa Scollon for poetry.

Writers who want to submit manuscripts must be members of Michigan Writers by Dec. 5, the deadline for submissions. Membership costs $35 and includes a subscription to Dunes Review.

Go to www.michwriters.org for submission guidelines, including length and word counts.

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