This year’s PNWA conference in Seattle was a bit surprising.
The attendance was down, probably due to fears about the economy, flying without proper air traffic control staffing, and other issues not related to the PNWA. But the good news is that we were able to have more in depth conversations and meet people we’ve been excited about for a long time.
Our table was filled with great information and exciting books from our authors. We had a great spot that faced the incoming traffic from the hotel’s lobby. We were there for the first two days of the conference and I met people represented by the publisher who represents my book, , and formed some great new relationships.
One of the highlights was meeting Jane Friedman! She’s a leader in the publishing industry, reporting on the news, offering tips on craft and marketing, and supporting authors with encouragement and great information. She was a charming and surprisingly humble person that saw me waiting patiently, with phone in hand, as conversations went on around us, then asked if I would like to have a selfie with her!
If you would like to learn more about the annual PNWA conference click on the button below.
The Valley Arts Group hosted me at their Fall 2024 Exhibition’s opening reception, with a table set up for a book signing. It was a blustery fall day with atmospheric river conditions, so I didn’t expect much foot traffic, but I was pleasantly surprised!
Yesterday I was invited to display my book at the Valley Arts Group’s Fall 2024 Exhibition’s opening reception. It was a blustery fall day with atmospheric river conditions, so I didn’t expect much foot traffic, but I was pleasantly surprised!
It was a small crowd, but enthusiastic!
The artists of the Valley Arts Group had a beautiful display of a variety of styles of art, and many of their member purchased a copy of The Byzantine Cross.
I always love attending events like this! The conversations are so fun and listening to the artists talk about the how they created their art.
The end result of the evening is that for the first time ever—I sold my books! It’s a long time coming and it feels surreal to know that the story I’ve been telling myself for years is now being experienced by other readers!
Little Fish, Big Ocean, Dena Weigel, acrylic
I’ve been a member of the Valley Arts Group for five years, displaying my art alongside the other artists of the group. It’s been a great experience getting to know and learn from these artists, and I want to thank them for hosting my very first book signing event!
My next event is scheduled for November 20th at the Sudden Valley Library for their November Author Series. I hope the weather is better and I hope to see many more of my neighbors and friends come out for fun conversations and a peak inside The Byzantine Cross!
Interested in viewing the Valley Arts Group, including some pieces I’ve made? Click here.
Authors can leverage QR codes in several creative and practical ways to enhance their books and engage with their readers.
QR codes, or Quick Response codes, are a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional barcode) that can be scanned using a smartphone or a QR code reader.
Authors can leverage QR codes in several creative and practical ways to enhance their books and engage with their readers. Here are some ideas on how authors can use QR codes:
Spplementary Content
Author Interviews: Behind-the-scenes insights or interviews with the author.
Deleted Scenes: Extra chapters or scenes that didn’t make it into the final version of the book.
Multimedia: Related videos, such as book trailers or visualizations of settings or characters.
Interactive Elements: QR codes can be used to create interactive experiences:
Augmented Reality: Link to AR experiences that bring elements of the book to life.
Interactive Maps: For novels with complex worlds or settings, QR codes can direct readers to interactive maps.
Reader Engagement
Surveys or Polls: Collect reader feedback or opinions on the book.
Discussion Guides: Provide discussion questions or prompts for book clubs.
Exclusive Content
Bonus Chapters: Extra chapters or epilogues that are not available in the printed book.
Exclusive Stories: Short stories or prequels that expand on the book’s universe.
Marketing and Promotion
Special Offers: Link to discount codes or promotional offers.
Social Media: Direct readers to the author’s social media profiles or official website.
Newsletter Signup: Encourage readers to sign up for newsletters or mailing lists.
Author Events
Event Schedules: Link to schedules for book signings, readings, or author tours.
Registration: Allow readers to register for events or workshops.
Educational Materials
Resource Links: Direct students or readers to additional learning resources, tutorials, or exercises.
Feedback and Review
Review Links: Link to platforms where readers can leave reviews or ratings.
Overall, QR codes offer a quick and efficient way to access information or services using your mobile device and can be very useful to authors. By integrating QR codes into their books and promotional materials, authors can create a richer, more interactive reading experience and strengthen their connections with their audience.
Click here to find out how QR Codes work and how to create them in an article I wrote for Chanticleer Reviews.
I visited Russia during the 1993 Constitutional Crisis. This is what I experienced.
This is a blog post I wrote years ago on another website. It is a partial account of what I experienced during my stay in Russia in 1993 during a tumultuous time of change-one of many.
Last Stop: Russia
It’d been three hours since we crossed Russia’s northwestern border–hours spent deep inside the West Siberian taiga forest. The constant chug, chug, chugging of the engine had lulled me into a semi-hypnotic state, leaving me numb to the sensations of the train’s forward movement.
Down the tracks, a small town emerged from the shadows of the trees. It was the first village we’d come to since crossing the border, so we’d be disembarking and registering at the customs office. Our passports would be checked and stamped, maybe our picture would be taken, maybe a few questions would be asked. “Just a formality,” our guide assured us.
With a bump and a jerk, our car came to a complete stop beside the station’s platform. Deathly cold outside, snowflakes hung suspended in the thin air, insulating and isolating people from one another. Solemn faces obscured by frosty clouds of breath stared out from under layers of heavy clothing. On the ground, remnants of footprints were carved into the snow, ghostly evidence of travelers who’d passed through this lonely depot before me. A line formed in front of the customs office and I dutifully found my place at its end. As I shuffled along I noticed an English language newspaper lying on a bench. Its headline read:
September 28, 1993: Bloody Clashes Ignite Between Special Police and Anti-Yeltsin Demonstrators. Interior Ministry Seals Off Parliament Building, Erecting Barricades.*
Once again, Russia had found itself swept up in drastic social and political change, and tensions were at a breaking point. During the past week, control of the government had shifted several times between the old Soviet guard and the new Russian Federation, with each side pushing the boundaries of their offices in an attempt to take control.
On September 21, one week prior to my arrival, President Boris Yeltsin had declared the governing body, the Supreme Soviet, dissolved, and announced a constitutional referendum and plans for new legislative elections. The next day, deputies from the Congress of People convened to impeach Yeltsin and two days later Yeltsin countered with a June 1994 date for Russia’s second presidential elections. Following this move Congress announced a March 1994 date for simultaneous parliamentary and presidential elections, preceding Yeltsin’s date by three months.
That’s when the fight turned deadly.
Members of Congress barricaded themselves inside the Parliament Building, prompting Yeltsin to cut off their electricity, hot water and telephone service, and send in the military. Demonstrators on both sides fought in the streets and four days later, September 28, the day I read the headline, marked the first day of casualties. Three days after that, on the first of October, the Interior Ministry estimated that six hundred armed men had joined in with the opposition and reports claimed dozens of people had been killed and hundreds wounded. This development initiated an attempt at negotiations that went on for two days without any outcome.
During this time, top opposition leaders approached the military brass to ask for their support. They realized that without the backing of the armed forces, their cause would be lost. A solid plan, one would think, but, as has often been the case in Russian history, they overlooked the lower rank and file and soon found themselves without the support of the masses. The generals, deciding they couldn’t afford to take a chance on the shaky leadership of the pro-Soviet groups, sided with Yeltsin. He quickly implemented his military offensive, lining up ten tanks in front of the building and firing at the top floors in an effort to force the rebels into a smaller space on the lower levels.
This show of force intensified the situation, and on October 3, Moscow police failed to control a demonstration near the House of the Government of the Russian Federation, commonly referred to as “the White House.” It soon developed into armed conflict. Opponents of Yeltsin successfully stormed the police cordon around the White House, and by noon the next day, elite forces entered the building, occupying it floor-by-floor. Within hours, the popular resistance in the streets had been completely suppressed, except for occasional sniper fire. It was the deadliest street fighting in Moscow since the October Revolution in 1917, when the Russian Empire fell to the Bolsheviks, and the country officially became the Soviet Union. Reports put the “Second October Revolution’s” death toll at only 437 wounded, but some sources claim up to 2,000 had died.
We were in Moscow for five days, and on one particularly cold night, my friends and I took the subway over to the White House. We walked up and down the sidewalk behind those tanks as they sat poised and ready to fire at the occupied state building. It was quiet that night, and in the distance, closer to the building, we could hear Russian voices rising in protest, this time calling for the death of communism.
I had many wonderful experiences during my stay in Russia: visiting ancient cathedrals and beautiful palaces, attending world-renowned ballet performances, but the most fascinating aspect of my trip was being witness to Russian history repeating itself. As I stood in the lonely depot and read the newspaper’s headline I wondered if the stamp I’d receive on my passport would represent the same country two weeks later when I left Russia.
*The headline I use here represents actual headlines of the day.
“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”
– Jack London –
Jack London (1876–1916) was an American author and journalist known for his vivid and adventurous storytelling. His works often draw on his own experiences and the rugged landscapes he encountered.
I chose the quote from Jack London because he always chased adventure and went after it with a fearless spirit. Even when he didn’t know exactly what he was getting into, he focused on what he believed he could create out of the situation. It is a quote I refer to when I feel overwhelmed or blindly out of control of this publishing process-in this case the marketing of the book. I’m “going after it with a club!”
But adventure is not only the subject of London’s novels, it is also in the style of his writing. His word choices and tempo create the intensity his writing requires to let the reader feel the danger that his characters experience. It’s evidence that he spent a lot of time in the wild, feeling vulnerable and sympathizing with any being faced with the daily life-threatening experiences he came to know during his travels into the untamed parts of the world.
London’s most famous books include The Call of the Wild and White Fang, which explore themes of survival and the struggle between civilization and the wild. He also wrote The Sea-Wolf, a novel about a brutal sea captain, and Martin Eden, a semi-autobiographical novel about a struggling writer. London’s writing reflects his interests in social issues, nature, and the human condition, and his adventurous life included travels to the South Pacific and the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. Despite his relatively short life, his impact on American literature and his contributions to the adventure genre remain significant.
The Byzantine Cross takes readers to strange and beautiful lands. Cappadocia, Turkey is one such place. Dig into this unique landscape and my own travels there.
Exploring a location in The Byzantine Cross
Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Turkey known for its unique, primitive landscape and its exceptional natural wonders, specifically the “Fairy Chimneys” or hoodoos, that populate the valley floor.
The region’s religious heritage was the center of early Christian learning, evidenced by hundreds of churches, monasteries, and underground cities that were dug into the rock to offer protection during periods of persecution.
An action scene in The Byzantine Cross is set in this surreal world. Below are several pictures of Cappadocia that inspired my writing, including three of my own when my husband and I visited the country in 2009.
Dena Weigel’s 10 Question Interview with Thomas Goodman, the 2023 Laramie Division CIBA Grand Prize Winner for “The Last Man.”
An Interview with Thomas Goodman, the 2023 CIBA Grand Prize Winner for Americana & Western fiction for The Last Man: A Novel of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery.
by Dena Weigel forChanticleer Book Reviews
“I first heard the story of the 1927 Santa Claus Bank Robbery in the 1990s when I lived in the small Texas county where it took place. All the accounts ended with the deaths of three of the four robbers, with little information about the life of the last surviving member of the gang.” – Thomas Goodman
Martha Gelhorn was a journalist, war correspondent, advocate, and a brave and remarkable woman. She’s also one of the inspirations for Sarah Kraft, the main character of The Byzantine Cross.
Martha Gellhorn was an influential American journalist, novelist, and war correspondent, widely regarded for her prolific career spanning several decades in the 20th century. Born on November 8, 1908, in St. Louis, Missouri, she grew up in a family with intellectual and progressive leanings, which influenced her later pursuits.
Gellhorn is perhaps best known for her groundbreaking work as a war correspondent, covering numerous conflicts around the world. She reported on the Spanish Civil War, World War II, the Vietnam War, and many other conflicts, often from the front lines. Her reporting was characterized by its vividness, bravery, and deep empathy for the people affected by war.
Beyond her journalism, Gellhorn was also a talented writer of fiction and non-fiction. She authored several novels, short story collections, and works of non-fiction, including travel writing and memoirs. Her writing often reflected her experiences as a journalist and her keen observations of human resilience and suffering.
Martha Gellhorn was known for her independent spirit and strong sense of justice, which guided both her personal life and her career. She was married to the writer Ernest Hemingway for a brief period in the late 1930s, but she established her own reputation and career separate from his considerable literary fame.
Throughout her life, Gellhorn remained committed to reporting on human rights issues and the impact of war on civilians. She continued to write and report well into her later years, leaving a lasting legacy as one of the foremost female journalists and war correspondents of the 20th century.
Martha Gellhorn passed away on February 15, 1998, leaving behind a body of work that continues to inspire journalists and writers today. Her contributions to journalism and literature, as well as her fearless dedication to truth-telling, have solidified her place in history as a pioneer and role model for future generations of journalists.
“Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.”
~William Faulkner~
Happy Fourth of July, everyone!
The quote above is from American author William Faulkner. It is his mantra for writing. I chose this specific quote because I believe it describes the kind of enterprising spirit characterized by the American dream.
I hope you all have a safe and happy Independence Day with the special people in your life!
I’ve often been accused of being stubborn. That may be true, but I choose to call it persistence.
I can’t deny this accusation. There are plenty of instances in my life where persistence has been the basis of my actions. But that same persistence has also taken me to many amazing places and led to many incredible experiences. And it’s that same persistence that prompted me to chose the image of a girl on a tricycle as the logo of my newsletter, Chasing the Dream.
Way back when, at the tender age of four or five, I pursued my preschool dream of riding my tricycle in the town’s annual parade. This was not something someone my age was typically allowed to do, but I was determined. I dressed my trusty steed up with streamers and I pedaled the entire half-mile route alongside the big kids on bicycles, sandwiched between the classic cars and the tractors.
People said I couldn’t do it. They said I was too little, and the parade route was too long to ride on a trike. My own mother ran alongside me on the sidewalk, taking pictures and waiting for a sign that I was ready to stop and she could carry my trike back to the house. (She was an exceptionally good and patient mother!)
But I was not deterred! I pedaled that entire parade route and my legs were almost too sore to walk the next day–but I did it! It was an early example of the same persistence that kept me writing until I finished The Byzantine Cross, and it’s the same persistence that has carried me through to publishing.
That’s why I chose the image of “A Girl on a Tricycle” as the logo for my newsletter. I’m “Chasing the Dream” relentlessly and eventually I will find my way!!
Below are the pictures my mom took of me on my first “ride or die” experience.
