Rocky Mountain Sunrise
More than twenty years ago Authors of the Flathead began with a small group of writing friends. Enhanced by committed award-winning authors, the group expanded and produced many accomplished authors who have generously shared their skills. The Authors provide an annual conference with notable presenters, contests for high school students, monthly speakers on various topics and regular “Open Reading” for immediate feed-back from the group. Dennis Foley, a founding member, an accomplished screen writer, film consultant, college educator and author of many books, provides a monthly highlight of creative writing classes for the group.
Numerous critique groups have evolved in mixed and single genres providing support for new and long time writers. Current membership is only $25 annually. From our small group of about twenty-five dedicated “Writers Helping Writers” many successful published authors have been born. Some of their successes:
Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Award –Zola Award
Kathy Dunnehoff —Romantic Comedy www.kathydunnehoff.com
James Satterfield —Historical Fiction
Jake How—Historical Fiction
Kindle best sellers in genre
Kathy Dunnehoff—Romantic Comedy
Deborah Epperson—Southern Fiction
Agatha Award in Nonfiction
Leslie Budewitz—www.lawandfiction.com/blog
Leslie is also a finalist in National Indie Excellence Awards
Spur Awards for Best First Novel
Carole Buchanan www.swanrange.com
Bob Faulkner www.bobfaulkner.com
For more information on their work, see their websites (some are under construction) or Amazon. For more information on the group see: www.authorsoftheflathead.org
This year, the annual FLATHEAD RIVER WRITERS CONFERENCE will be held October 6th and 7th with two full days of presentations and workshops. Notable individuals including:
Mark Coker of Smashwords
Agents Regina Brooks and Jeff Herman
Roxanne McHenry marketing e-media expert
Author presenters: John DeDakis, Kathy Dunnehoff and Leslie Budewitz.
Details are available at the website. Attendance is limited to 100.
Author Betty Kuffel, MD 
Travel and Book Update from Minnesota
After a drive from Whitefish to Northern MN, we were ready for a rest. Gasoline prices fell along the way and we found the Prius is a great road car, getting 48-52 miles per gallon for the entire distance. Along with visiting many relatives and friends, we have been enjoying the lake, walking in the woods, swimming in the warm water and tossing sticks to Valkyrie. Each morning a blue heron lands on the dock and spends time surveying the area with the many ducks that congregate. We have fun watching about a dozen baby ducks that rush for cover beneath the dock when eagles fly too close.
Sister Bev and I spent a magical day and night with two other women on a “Girls’ Night Out” on Bad Medicine Lake. Silent isolation without city lights, with mournful loon calls piercing the still night, the moon reflecting on calm water, eating excellent food with wine, laughing out loud at funny stories, –we found Bad Medicine was good medicine for the soul.
My presentation about Eyes of a Pedophile and how to identify child predators at the #13 Pecha Kucha gathering in Bemidji was attended by more than 100 people. I will post the audio with slides at a later date. Today I am happy to report the Great Falls Tribune interviewed me and published a detailed article about my book. The article is well-written and accurate. A link is provided if you would like to read it.
Life in the North Woods of MN isn’t as desolate as it sounds. We saw a play at the summer theater last week and last evening attended an amazing production of Madama Butterfly.
Bev’s book club, Mazina’igan-ikwe, (Book Women) met at her home last week. Located in Anishinabe Indian country, fifteen women, all summer residents of the lake, meet twice a month to discuss books read in advance. This unique group gathers in the warmth of small cabins each season soon after the ice on the lake goes out and roads become navigable. Like birds returning after the long winter, the migration back to Pike Bay occurs. This 5,000 acre lake (about 9 square miles) is connected to Cass Lake via a water channel surrounded by wild rice beds. Pike Bay is pristine, with excellent walleye fishing.–With broad interests, their book choices are varied. At the recent meeting, the Book Women discussed, Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger, a Minnesota author who has written a mystery series based in this area. After their discussion, I was invited to talk to about the process of writing my book and provided information to help keep kids safer.
Link to the Great Falls Tribune article: http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20120629/LIFESTYLE/206290331/Inside-mind-pedophile-Book-probes-Bar-Jonah-s-life
Till next time. Betty
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