for new writers, a short story contest

Interesting contest here:  https://mastersreview.com/short-story-award-for-new-writers/

Interior Authors Group Christmas Social

Our Interior Authors Group held an enjoyable Christmas Social on December 3, 2019 in the North Shore Community Centre, Kamloops. Magnus Balle chaired the proceedings. Musical items were presented by Terry and Linda Roth, Colleen Carbol, and Allen and Sheila Hern. Santa Claus [aka Dennis Robertson] paid us an entertaining visit. Robert Schemenauer announced the 2020 Dr. Robert and Elma Schemenauer Writing Awards. Our president, Alex McGilvery on guitar, led us in singing carols of this wonderful season. 

how to get your book into libraries

Want to get your book into libraries? Good article here. Also see the
links at the end of the article.
https://www.janefriedman.com/6-steps-to-get-into-libraries-self-pub/

author Shirley Dodding, Interior Authors Group past president

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Kamloops This Week [Friday Nov 15, 2019] has a nice article about Shirley Ellen Dodding, author of several books including the novel Dancing with the Stripes. She'll be signing it at Chapters in Kamloops on Nov 24.  Shirley is a six-year member of the Kamloops-based Interior Authors Group. She served for one year as secretary, one year as vice-president, and two years as president. Congratulations and best wishes, Shirley. Here's the link to the article:  https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/ktw-search-results-element-7.39463?q=shirley+ellen+dodding

writing a synopsis of your novel

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Are you thinking of querying a traditional publisher or literary agent about your novel? They may want a synopsis (or summary). A synopsis hits the story's high spots including giving away the ending. How can you do all that in 4 or 5 pages? With difficulty if you're like most novelists. Here are some articles that may help.

https://www.janefriedman.com/how-to-write-a-novel-synopsis/

https://jerichowriters.com/synopsis/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/book-synopsis-tips_b_2426724

the name Epp--what does it mean?

One of my great-grandmothers was MARIA EPP [1872-1926]. She's the woman at the far left in the photo. I did some digging to see what the name EPP means. A book on German names, DEUTSCHE NAMENKUNDE by Max Gottschald, says it came from the old German personal names EBERHARD and EBURWIN. These, in turn, came from EBER, meaning wild boar. Wild boar, or pigs, were among prized game. Naming somebody after the fierce strong boar was probably a compliment. Shortened forms of the name include EBO, EB, EVER, EWERS, ABBO, EPPO, and EPP. Several other sources agree with this. They include the book MENNONITISCHE NAMEN by Victor Peters and Jack Thiessen.

DEUTSCHE NAMENKUNDE says the name EPP also came from the old German personal names ADALBOLD, ADALBRECHT, ADALBERT, and similar. These, in turn, came from ADEL, meaning nobility or aristocracy. Shortened forms of these names, which are many, include APP and EPP.

The above authors do not explain how the B of EBER or the D of ADEL became the P of EPP. Since EPP is a short simple name, it could have started quite separately in the two different ways mentioned above. This could help explain why the name was widespread in Germanic areas from at least the 1300s on. Mennonite researcher Horst Penner says it was common all the way from Switzerland in the south to Friesland in the north.

contacts: traditional publishing & self-publishing

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Are you thinking of trying to get your book published by a traditional publisher [one who bears the cost of publishing]? Or thinking of publishing with a subsidy publisher [one you pay to bring your book out]? Here are links to useful contacts & info.

Traditional publishers in Canada https://canadianauthors.org/national/canadian-book-publishers/

Literary agents in Canada https://www.writersunion.ca/literary-agents

Self-publishing general information  https://writersguild.ca/resources/self-publishing/

Article that includes lists of self-publishing companies in Canada & the US https://3pennypublishing.com/selfpublishing-companies/