Under the pen name Isak Romun, Gordon wrote mainstream, mystery, and speculative fiction. His credits include Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, and Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, to name a few. He has been listed several times on the Honor Roll of the Yearbook of the Mystery and Suspense Story. He was a winner in the NEA/PEN American Syndicated Fiction Project for his story, "Lully's Baton." In conjunction with this award, his winning entry was published in Sunday supplements of The Chicago Tribune and The San Francisco Chronicle. His story "Eagles" was a winner in the Catholic Press Association Short Story Competition. He has served as a short-story judge for the Edgar Awards of the Mystery Writers of America and, locally, as a short-story judge for college writers' conferences.

In addition to being a member, past board member and past president of the VwC, Gordon, along with his wife Lois, was a founding member of the Traveler Chapter. In 2002, Lois and Gordon were recognized by the Virginia Writers Club for their lifetime contributions to the art and craft of writing. Gordon will be greatly missed.

"Inside the Back Cover" Contest

      The Inside the Back Cover Contest for 2009 is now closed. Please watch this space for announcements concerning the Inside the Back Cover Contest 2010. Or you may email Jim Morrison with any questions regarding the contest.
 

Golden Nib Writing Contest 2010

      It is time once again to get ready for the Golden Nib Contest. Formerly known as the Two-Tier Contest, the name Golden Nib was adopted in 2008 to lend an air of panache.

      There have been small changes in the rules for 2010, in response to member suggestions and a few misunderstandings. Otherwise, the contest is the same two level event we all have come to enjoy.

      For complete details, please click here (requires Adobe Reader).

Teen Golden Nib Writing Contest

      The Teen Golden Nib Writing Contest for 2009 is now closed. For more information and guidelines, download the CONTEST DETAILS here (requires Adobe reader).

      Please visit the YVWC page for a list of winners!

Member Achievements

Please send accounts of recent achievements to:
John Romjue
(email preferred, to reduce errors!)
105 Lockmere Court, Yorktown, VA 23693
 

Patsy Bickerstaff: Prize poems, in Grandmother Earth, 2010.
 

Austin Camacho: Panelist–”Moonlighting--Unlikely Sleuths,” VA Festival of the Book, March 20. Presenter- “Writing Mysteries,” Maryland Writers Association Conference, Hunt Valley, MD. April 24. www.marylandwriters.org; Panelist-“Thrills and Chills: Books That Take You on a Wild Ride” on May 2 at 10:20 am at the Malice Domestic mystery convention, Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel, Arlington, VA www.malicedomestic.org; Panelist–”Book Promotion in the New World of Publicity,” Washington Writers Conference, June 12. www.amerindywriters.org.

Sheila Dane: Winner, 2009 Family Choice Award for book, Fairy Hunters, Ink (www.fairyhunters.net).

Patricia Daly-Lipe: Books, All Alone, Washington to Rome: A ’60s Memoir, and A Cruel Calm: Paris Between the Wars, both XLibris Corp., March 2010. Review author’s books at www.literarylady.com. Author radio station interviews, Boston; Ocala, FL; Baltimore; Sacramento; Colorado Springs, and Atlanta, ref. Messages from Nature, January-February 2010.

Austin Gisriel: Book, Safe at Home: A Season in the Valley, Augusta Free Press, January 2010. Available at www.rebelsbaseball.biz

James Morrison: Second Place, Big Read Roanoke Valley contest for writing new ending for Ernest J. Gaines 1993 novel, A Lesson Before Dying, 2010. Article, “Down Home in Moneta,” Cooperative Living, Association of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Electric Cooperatives small-town article series, 2009.

Becky Mushko: Book, Ferradiddledumday: An Appalachian Version of the Rumpelstiltskin Tale, Cedar Creek Publishing, January 2010. Author interviews: Blue Ridge Regional Library System telecast “Cover to Cover,” December 29, 2009; Cable 12 “Rise and Shine Show” and WYTI “Our View”, 2010. Book signings: Franklin County Library, January 26, and Westlake Branch Library, January 28; the General Store at Westlake, 2010. Panelist: Roanoke Regional Writers Conference, Hollins University, January 23, 2010, and at “Ask the Authors,” Bluebird Grill and Bakery, Roanoke, March 2010. Participant, Westlake Branch Library “Comedy Cafe,” February 11.

Michelle O'Hearn: Poetry Chapbook, Hysterias & Happiness, Polican Publishing Co., March 2010.
 

Harvey Tate: Mystery thriller, Death Takes a Number, Champagne Books (champagnebooks.com), January 2010, also available on Amazon Kindle.

Jack Trammell: Book, Down on the Chickahominy, nominated for the 2010 Library of Virginia Literary Awards. Panelist - “Local History,” VA Festival of the Book.

Helen Rodman: Book, With Dearest Love, Cedar Creek Publishing, December, 2009.
 

Sally Roseveare: Novel, Secrets at Sweetwater Cove, a mystery set at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, Infinity Publishing, July 2009.

Jennifer (JB) Stanley: Book, Hope Street Church Mystery Series, Stirring Up Strife, St. Martin’s Minotaur, January, 2010.

John M. Wills: Book signings for novels, Midnight Battles in the Windy City, and Gripped by Fear (both Chicago Warrior Thriller Series), University Cafe, Fredericksburg, January 4 and Orleans Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, January 20, 2010. Wrote foreword for novel, Child Finder Resurrection by Mike Angley, Total Recall Publications, January 2010. Author supplied 24 copies of his novels to Mill Creek, Washington, police officers as sympathy gift following murders of five officers of the police department. Authored book review for New York Journal of Books, January 26, 2010. Book signing, Borders Books, Central Park, February 13, 2010. Panelist, “Why We Write, What We Write: Authors Share Their Varied Works,” VA Festival of the Book, March 17.

GUIDELINES for MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS

  Achievements are featured in our electronic and print newsletters, and on this page.
  Submit achievements in a timely manner, e.g., as they occur.
  Be complete: furnish title, publisher (or periodical), and publication date.
  If you have published a book within 60 days, you may submit a cover image to be placed with your announcement, space permitting (*.jpg, *.tif, or *.png format only, please).
  Send clipsheets for writeups (these cannot be returned, so you may want to send a photocopy).
  Works in progress and work not yet published is not eligible for inclusion herein.
  Vocational postions are not reported herein unless one is newly appointed.
  Organizing, directing or presenting at a workshop or conference can be reported herein.
  News not directly related to writing will not be included in these reports.

Welcome, New Members!

Kristina Beard - Richmond, Virginia
John A. Bray - Williamsburg, Virginia
Clifford Garstang - Staunton, Virginia
Elizabeth W. Rogers - Henrico, Virginia
Margaret S. Rose - Fredericksburg, Virginia