UV Magazine Spread

UV Magazine, Lifestyle Magazine of the Umpqua Valley, did a story for their Fall 2018 edition on the local Roseburg writers group I belong to, An Association of Writers, and I was delighted to be featured with my books. UPDATE: The online version is up now.

UV Magazine Two-page Spread with Cover Overlay. Story and Cover Photos by Robin Loznak

The magazine is a beautifully produced publication that highlights people and activities in the Umpqua River region. A few days after Contributing Writer Sarah Smith asked to interview me and said they would send out a photographer, I learned that my favorite photographer, my son-in-law Robin Loznak, does freelance work for them. I mentioned that to Sarah, who passed the word to Account Executive Nicole Stratton, and the photo assignment went to Robin. A handy gig, since he and my daughter live on the family farm, just down the hill from me.

It just happened that the issue’s cover also features an autumn photo by Robin.

For the photo shoot on the article Robin and I went up to the top of the property and looked down over the big field above my house toward the setting sun. I used this sweeping view in one of the scenes in A Place of Her Own, the story of my great-great-grandmother Martha Maupin, who founded this Sesquicentennial Farm 150 years ago. I haven’t done the paperwork yet to receive that designation officially, but the farm qualifies. It has been a Century Farm since April 1968, the Martha A. Maupin Century Farm, one of the few in Oregon named for a woman.

Besides the fine overlook from the farm’s upper ridge, there was this perfect weathered stump for displaying my two published books.

The UV story talks about the importance of writers groups to authors who otherwise work in isolation. The mutual support helps keep an author going and the feedback helps in polishing the work. Sarah, who wrote the article, relayed my story of how eight people from my Roseburg writers group surprised me by coming to the launch party for my second book, The Shifting Winds. They had quite a drive up the Umpqua River to the little town of Elkton where I held the party. What a pleasure it was to see them walk in that day! The photo below shows them filling a table along with my friend from Elkton High School Bill Isaac.

From left to right: Arvilla and Don Newsom, Kari Clark, Heather Villa, Bill Isaac (longtime friend who’s not in the writers group but just happened to sit at this distinguished table), me standing, Wilma Mican, Emily Blakely, Dianne Carter, and Marlene Daley.

That’s friendly support! So glad UV Magazine chose to do the article about this fine group and so glad I joined them. Thanks to UV for the focus.

The magazine can be found at businesses in the Umpqua Valley, hotels, restaurants, doctor’s offices, hospital and elsewhere. And you can find them online. This brand-new edition should be up soon.

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Fair Week!

The Douglas County Fair starts Wednesday this week with rides and fair food and animals and other amazing exhibits–and yes, authors selling and signing our books. It’s a great fair, and the weather promises to be almost perfect. A little hot on Friday, but otherwise ideal. You’ll find us authors the epitome of cool in the air-conditioned foyer of the Community Conference Hall, just to the left as you come in the main gate.

web-County-Fair-rides - 2013Outside, the fairway awaits with scenes at dusk like Robin Loznak’s picture at the Douglas County Fair from a few years ago.

Or you may find piggies like these Robin caught napping at the time. Although a regular attraction at the fair, I can’t promise there will be piggies this year. But there’ll be animals aplenty. For more of Robin’s fair photos that year check here. They’re down a ways, but it’s an entertaining scroll.

web-County-Fair-naptime - 2013I’ll be at the fair all four days this year from 3 to 7 pm, highlighting my new book, The Shifting Winds, with copies also of A Place of Her Own.

My friend A. Lynn Ash from my Eugene writing group will be there Wednesday and Thursday from 3 to 7 with her two travel memoirs, The Route from Cultlus Lake and her latest, Vagabonda. My friend Dianne Carter from my Roseburg writing group will be there all four days with her new debut novel, Misled, Wednesday through Friday from 11 to 3, and Saturday from 3 to 7.

Various members of An Association of Writers, my Roseburg group, will be at the Author Table throughout the four days from 11 in the morning until 7 in the evening. They’ll be selling member anthologies and inviting local writers to join the group. We’ll all be talking writing with whoever wants to chat.

So if you’re looking for cool at the Douglas County Fair this week, check out the Author Table, indoors, first left inside the main gate.

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