+.jpg)
Writers/Photographers Update
Ideas, Information, Inspiration and You!
After a private tour of Martin Guitar Co., members of local Meetup Groups enjoy lunch at Widow's Tavern where group members listen to hear if their number is called for valuable prizes!
A few highlights:
- Don't Worry! Be Happy! Workshop with ten-time Grammy Winner Bobby McFerrin
- Writing the Epic Quest with Jack Hillman
- Pearl S. Buck Writer’s Conference
- 6th Annual Yard Sale at the Moravian Archives
- Recent Events
- Martin Guitar Tour and Widow’s Tavern
- If you missed the last one SAVE BIG Money on the next one!
- Morning Call Tour and Allentown Brew Works
- Mother Nature played a trick on us, but we fooled her!
- Your Input and Participation
- For a Good Time, Call Chris!
Intro:
Hi, it's me, Chris. Here is a short intro to a long email just to keep you up-to-date on some of the exciting tours we just finished in the past few days and a few upcoming Meetups you may like to attend.
For those inquiring minds who want to know (that should include everyone!) I would also like to briefly address some recurring questions about Meetup communication (no, I don't have your email address or phone number!); a few words about Meetup fees; and most important--getting input, ideas and participation from YOU!
YOU are the sole reason these groups exist. Without YOU there would be no reason to meetup and we could all just stay at home surfing the web! The more involved you are, the better the experience for everyone, especially YOU!
Workshop with Ten-Time Grammy Winner Bobby McFerrin
Feb 28 Sun 2:00 PM
WoW! Are you kidding me? A workshop with Bobby McFerrin? At Lehigh? In the Diamond Theater? For five bucks? Don't Worry! Be Happy!
If you have never been in the Diamond Theater*, let me tell you it is an intimate and dramatic venue. You will be up close and personal with this extremely talented and outstanding Superstar performer! There is NO Meetup fee for this special event BUT Lehigh is charging a $5 fee; FREE with LU ID!
Join with Bobby McFerrin (or watch, your choice) the creation, exploration and celebration of song!
Order your tickets now! Phone (610) 758-2787 or visit Ticket Services at 420 E. Packer Ave. Bethlehem, PA
How about some suggestions for dinner afterward?Join with Bobby McFerrin (or watch, your choice) the creation, exploration and celebration of song!
Order your tickets now! Phone (610) 758-2787 or visit Ticket Services at 420 E. Packer Ave. Bethlehem, PA
Photo - Szaniszlo_Ivor
* Diamond Theater
A 307-seat thrust space, the Diamond Theater offers 4,000 square feet in which the department stages four productions annually. Scenery construction and paint area is immediately adjacent to the scenic studio for larger shows and projects. Designed for dramatic performances, the theater features a flexible lighting tension grid, fly space above the stage for scenery storage, a green room, and space for the university’s Mustard and Cheese Drama Society.
Writing the Epic Quest with Jack Hillman
Mar 20 Sat 1:00 PM
Epic Quests are not limited to fantasy and science fiction, but have been part of literature since writing was invented. Every genre has it's favorite epic quest: the romance of Gone With The Wind, the tragedy of Moby Dick, the excitement of the chase in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the dark power of The Maltese Falcon. All really good novels have a part of the epic quest in their making.
Jack Hillman, Author of 'Giants Want the Lost River' will discuss the breakdown of the various characters that make up the quest- the fellowship- and how each one may play many, and often conflicting, parts as the story unfolds. Jack will also discuss how the protagonist (not necessarily a hero) is becoming more prevalent in today's literature and how this affects the tone of the quest.
Personal note to Jack: Before you ask me if I've written anything lately, please read this email again!
Pearl S. Buck Writer's Conference: Writing in a Writer's House
APR 10 Sat 9:00 AM
Join area writers for the Pearl S. Buck Writer's Conference!
The community is encouraged to participate in the Book Sale and a meet-and-greet with local authors, as well as a wide selection of Writing Workshop topics offered during morning and afternoon sessions. Lehigh Valley Writer’s Symposium member: Jeffrey B. Allen, author of GONEAWAY Into the Land will be a guest signer for this event. If you are a published author and would like to set up, autograph and sell your works, please contact the venue and let us know so we can spread the word.
Advertisement
Write an eBook in 10 days and earn $1,000 a month!
Did you know e-books can earn you money? Not only that, but they're easy to write and promote. This brand new course edited by best-selling writer Nick Daws shows you exactly how to do it. It takes you from your initial idea to published e-book -- including marketing and promotion help so you can sell it online --IN JUST 10 DAYS! You don't need experience or fancy software. You don't need a publisher.
ALL you really need is the new 10-Day E-Book course! N ot only can it show you how to WRITE your book...it'll also show you how you can PROFIT from it. You could potentially earn $1000 a month -- from just one e-book!
ALL you really need is the new 10-Day E-Book course! N ot only can it show you how to WRITE your book...it'll also show you how you can PROFIT from it. You could potentially earn $1000 a month -- from just one e-book!
6th Annual Yard Sale at the Moravian Archives
MAY 8 Sat 8:00 AM
Want a great chance to find some real treasures from the Moravian Archives! Old maps? Books? Old letters from local historical characters? How about a chance to get some authentic ideas for your next historical romance? Circle Saturday, MAY 8 on your calendar. We'll also plan to meet for a late lunch nearby to share our 'finds' after the Yard Sale! Where? There are lots of great places, please send YOUR suggestions! Thanks to Writer's Symposium member, Nancy Lazar for spotting this one!
Photo by Nancy Lazar
-
Reviewing Some Recent Meetups
This fascinating luncheon tour was attended by over two dozen even more fascinating people who enjoyed a guided tour of the historic Martin Guitar factory and their 1833 Museum.
-
“Had a great time [at Martin Guitar]! So interesting to see the process of creating such works of art. And the company of the others in our group was great!”
Yes, you can bet I worked hard to make sure everything went smooth for you! I even did a pre-tour dry run a couple of weeks prior to the group session. I also stopped in to the Widow's Tavern, in nearby Stockertownand was able negotiate a full 25% discount off everyone's lunch. Thanks to Chef Jeff, Manager Jody, Serve Marianna and the whole crew at the haunted tavern.
To keep things even more interesting, eveyone received a raffle ticket and we had a lot of fun drawing for valuable prizes! Sue won a genuine Rolodex 72-Business Card Case, Rachel won a Double Digital Photo Album and Randy won a $25 gift certificate to Cactus Blue Restaurant!
"The [Martin Guitar] tour we took with PhotoQuest was great. I would be willing to pay Photoquest for a seminar before or after the tour to learn more about how to better use my camera in these settings and to see other photographers perspective of the same experience."
Some people have asked why there was a $12 fee for this event. Some people wonder why there are fees at all!
Isn't Meetup all about sharing? You bet it is! And that's why the people who participate and enjoy the experience need to help those who put it all together.
For those inquiring minds who want to know--aside from actual expenses, time and travel, phone calls, emails, basic overhead and meetup organizer fees, which, for me, run into hundreds of dollars every year, it is a fiscally sound and time-honored concept to cover your operating expenses and have a little cushion left over so one can actually work to provide better service; to develop more interesting events at more attractive venues--for your enjoyment.
In addition to all of the above, Martin Guitar requires a scheduled private tour for groups of 10 or more. They also impose a significant per-head charge--hmm--why do THEY need to charge a fee? Don't they make enough on those guitars?
Several thoughtful and appreciative group members emailed me today with a note that Dan's Camera is offering a Martin Guitar group tour next month with a pre-trip workshop for $79.
If you are interested, you can sign up for Dan's Camera tour right here: http://www.danscamera.com/martin-guitar/. For those who missed it, if you want to save BIG Money--we'll be scheduling another Martin Guitar tour in a few months. And we'll be meeting for lunch afterward. And we'll also throw in a pre-tour photo workshop with qualified instructors. And it will be a whole lot less than $79, I promise!
Louise and Brent lend a sense of scale to rolls of newsprint which weight almost a ton each.
"Thank you for arranging this tour! I was glad to meet some people and the tour was thorough and informative. Amazing!"
By the time I got back to my computer at 4:30, the streets were already icy and slick.
We had eight YES RSVPs besides me for the tour and from past experience, I guessed that more than half would cancel and the other four would be relieved if I called it off. So I did. Hey! Sometimes I'd rather stay at home and surf the web, too!
At 6:15 I got a call from the newspaper. "Chris, there are people in the lobby waiting for the tour. How do you want me to handle it?"
"Hold on, I'll be right there," I said.
The tour went on with the six of us. Our tour guide was so happy to finally have a group of adults (as opposed to school children) that she turned the normal 90-minute tour into a three-hour in-depth incursion. We had up-close and personal conversations with just about everyone in the newsroom, editorial, advertising, pagination, plate-making and the press-room.
We got out so late and it was so icy that we never made it to the Brew Works! Sorry Brew Works! I have a bunch more cool photos to post but have been too darned busy to sort them out. Be patient. Don't worry. Be happy! I'll get to it soon. Time is money. Send money!
And for those who missed it, we'll get this one back on the calendar in a few months when the weather is a bit more accommodating. Stay tuned.
“The tour was interesting and informative. However I think it should be done on an earlier time or on the weekend since it was somewhat of a long tour...I had a nice time also meeting everyone in the Lehigh Valley writer's group. ”
